Cardiff school still covered in scaffolding years after work started to fix roof
Cardiff school still covered in scaffolding years after work started to fix roof
Residents and parents are concerned that Roath Park Primary School, pictured here in 2022, still has scaffolding around it
(Image: Google Street View )
Parents and residents are questioning why a Cardiff primary school is still covered in scaffolding years after work to fix it got underway. Work to repair the roof at Grade II listed Roath Park Primary School started in 2021.
A Senedd petition has now been set up, calling on the Welsh Government to provide more funds to help Cardiff Council complete the job as quickly as possible. The petition, which has so far gained 638 signatures, claims Roath Park Primary has deteriorated over the years it has had scaffolding on it.
It states: "Classrooms are dark and cold. The pavement is blocked, making drop off/ pick up dangerous." Never miss a Cardiff story and sign up to our newsletter here.
"The school is at risk of closure. The council requires adequate funding from Welsh Government in order for it to commit to a timescale to complete the works.
"The school is at risk of being overlooked until it's too late." Roath Park Primary School was built in 1894 and opened in 1895.
Cardiff Council said the fact that the school was listed added significant logistical and legal complexities to the repair process, making it "both time consuming and costly".
The local authority added that a number of planned repairs had been completed and that further works were planned.
A council spokesperson said: 'The scaffolding was erected as a Health & Safety measure to protect pupils, site users, and pedestrians from falling masonry.
"This has allowed us to conduct regular inspections, identifying multiple stonework issues common in buildings of this age.
"The high cost of the necessary works has been a major barrier to carrying out full repairs and at an estimated £3m, outweigh the cost of the scaffolding.
'The council has a citywide asset renewal programme that prioritises work based on the condition of school buildings and available budgets.
"Across the city we have been dealing with multiple priority repairs spending over £110m in the past five years.
'We are keen to resolve the repair issues at Roath Park Primary as soon as possible.
"Initial remediation works, including repairs to guttering and downpipes, vegetation removal, and structural surveys, have already been completed.
"Further works are planned, which will allow us to remove the scaffolding.
"We appreciate the community's patience as we work through these complex issues and strive to secure the necessary funding to complete the repairs.'
Schools account for more than two thirds of Cardiff Council's estate.
As part of its five year property strategy, the local authority showed that its preference was to focus on building new and more modern education facilities.
When asked about the Senedd petition relating to Roath Park Primary School, the Welsh Government said: "School repairs and maintenance are a matter for local authorities.
"£286m has been awarded to local authorities over the past ten years for this purpose.
"We recently announced a further £35m in funding for repairs for this financial year.'
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