PLANS for a £32million new Barry secondary school building have been approved.

Whitmore High School will be knocked down so a new three-storey facility can be built in its place.

The new Whitmore High School building would have room for 1,100 pupils – including a 200-space sixth form.

The new school premises, which will cater for mixed sex pupils aged 11 to 18, will also have indoor sports facilities and an all-weather pitch and games court that will be considered for community use.

Under the plans, approved by the Vale of Glamorgan Council’s planning committee on Wednesday, July 31, the new school building will be built on the existing playing fields to the south of the Whitmore High School site.

The existing Whitmore High School will remain open during the building work.

Gareth Hooper of agent DPP Planning told the committee the plans “represents a significant investment in modern, high quality learning environments that meets the school’s requirements.”

The existing school building has 905 pupils, but it has capacity for 1423, so the new build would have space for 313 fewer pupils.

The new school build is part of the Welsh Government and the council’s 21st Century Schools Programme.

It forms part of Band B of the programme, which is promising to invest £142.417million in the Vale’s school facilities. 

Whitmore High is one of two Barry comprehensive schools to be completely rebuilt under the programme – the other being Pencoedtre High School, in Barry.

The existing school, previously Barry Comprehensive, was constructed in 1966 and according to the council’s planning application “is beyond economical repair”.