PLANS to expand car parking provision at a recently opened Blaenau Gwent school have been given the green light by councillors.

The proposals will increase the number of parking spaces available at the new 360-place Six Bells School in Abertillery from 49 to 62, after concerns were raised over current provision.

Ten of the current 49 spaces are reserved for the Ty Ebbw Fach cafe, while just three spaces are provided within the school site itself, with the remainder available for residents in the area to use as well.

Several trees must be cut down to make way for the extension, and worries were voiced over the impact on an area of woodland by the council’s landscape officer.

But councillors unanimously voted to approve the application at a Blaenau Gwent council planning committee meeting on Thursday.

South Wales Argus:

A map showing roughly where the car park will be extended

Councillor David Wilkshire was among those to speak in support, saying that the extra parking spaces will help provide a “safer environment” for pupils.

Councillor Tommy Smith said the proposals would also help alleviate parking pressures for businesses in the area.

However councillor Mandy Moore sought reassurance that the authority had “proof” the extra provision was required, before it started cutting down trees.

Council officers said that the authority plans to carry out further surveys before starting any work, to assess the need for extra parking spaces.

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Levels across the application site are said to “vary significantly”, which means “a significant area of vegetation” and several trees will need to be removed.

Footpaths will also need to be re-aligned, according to a planning report.

Planning officers had recommended approval, saying that while the loss of trees was “regrettable,” the scale of loss was not deemed enough to justify refusal of the application.