PLANS to extend Crownbridge Special School to allow 50 extra pupils to join have been delayed by one year.
The site in Croesyceiliog was due to be expanded and ready in January 2024. A report for Cllr Richard Clark, executive member for education, says that a delay has been caused by 'circumstances beyond the control of the council, principally market forces and escalating construction costs'.
Welsh Government approved the proposals to increase the size of the school in December 2020 and agreed to pay £5,137,500 towards the £6,850,000 total cost.
Torfaen Council was due to contribute the remaining £1,712,500.
Crownbridge Special School
Earlier this year a council report revealed that following 'full market testing and a robust value engineering process' the expansion would now cost £12,353,192, just over £5.5m more than the original project budget.
Officers told councillors that those costs were estimated pre-pandemic and factors including the war in Ukraine and 'general rising inflation' has seen costs rise.
The report to Cllr Clark says that the development plans slowed down because of budget issues and increased construction costs leading to work not being due to start on site until August 2023.
Crownbridge Special School
He has been asked to approve the change in the opening date to 6 January 2025. If the report is agreed parents and carers will be notified of the delay within seven days.
The Welsh Government has increased its grant to £9,407,594 and Torfaen Council will pay the remaining £2,945,598.
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