A NEWLY opened school in the Vale has been honoured for excellence in planning.

The Vale of Glamorgan Council’s South Point Primary School project has scooped the Royal Town Planning Institute (RTPI) Planning Excellence in Health and Wellbeing award.

Announced at a ceremony in London last week, the council beat off competition from a host of innovative projects to scoop this UK-wide prize.

Awards are designed to showcase and reward outstanding achievements in planning, celebrating the contribution they have made to communities and their impact on the industry.

South Point Primary advanced to the national stage having picked up the RTPI Cymru Award for Planning Excellence in August after it became the first net zero carbon school in Wales.

Judges described the project as an exemplar for schools, helping to set a new national approach in Wales.

They applauded the leadership taken to deliver Wales’ first net zero carbon primary school as part of a comprehensive mixed-use development benefitting the health and wellbeing of pupils and the wider community.

Contractors ISG construction began work on the school, which has capacity for 210 pupils and 48 part-time nursery places, in January last year. The scheme was completed in February and teaching began at the £5.4 million facility shortly afterwards.

The school’s revolutionary design means greenhouse gas emissions are greatly reduced and any remaining emissions offset, neutralising the school’s environmental impact.

The facility also has electric vehicle charging points, green habitat areas containing flowers and trees within the grounds to improve ecology, a playground and a multi-use games area.

Barry And District News: South Point Primary is a high level eco-friendly school South Point Primary is a high level eco-friendly school (Image: Newsquest)

Cllr Ruba Sivagnanam, Vale of Glamorgan Council Cabinet Member for Community Engagement, Equalities and Regulatory Services, was delighted the council had been recognised.

“I’d like to recognise staff from our Sustainable Communities for Learning Team, who have played such a key role in this scheme,” said Cllr Siyagnanam.

“Planning staff also made an important contribution to project's location, design, and delivery, ensuring the scheme resulted in a sustainable form of development for today and future generations to come.

“This new school building provides a modern teaching and learning environment for staff and pupils as well as a range of facilities for the local community.”

Teaching takes place in classrooms across two storeys, while the design also includes a main hall for sport and dining, offices, a staffroom and breakout areas.