Mystery reptiles delay new school opening

The opening of a new school has been delayed by two years because reptiles have been found on the site.

Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Ogwr, a Welsh medium school in Brackla, Bridgend, was due to move to a new location nearby this September but the council has put back the opening date to September 2027.

The council said "the presence of reptiles at the new site has caused a delay to the completion of the ecology work" but is not yet revealing which particular cold-blooded creatures have been spotted.

The animals, who will be found a new home over the summer, are likely to be slow-worms, grass snakes, adders or lizards.

Conservative South Wales West Senedd member Altaf Hussain said the delay was "devastating news for parents in Bridgend who wish for their children to learn through the medium of Welsh".

Education Secretary Lynne Neagle called the later opening "regrettable" and said £500,000 had been provided for temporary expansion on the current site.

Of the UK's six native reptile species, four have been found to be living in Bridgend county borough. These are:

• the slow-worm (anguis fragilis)
• grass snakes (natrix natrix)
• adder or European viper (vipera berus)
• the common or viviparous lizard (zootoca vivipara)

The move to the larger site is expected to cost around £18.6m, with 525 places expected for children aged four to 11 as well as a 90-place nursery.

Hussain said in the Senedd the extra places are "much needed in the local area" and that the delay is "devastating news".

Neagle responded that the Welsh government is "working with the local authority to mitigate the impact of that on young people".

She said this includes providing funding of nearly £500,000 to allow the short-term expansion of Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Ogwr, with two temporary classroom buildings from this September.

A spokesman for Bridgend County Borough Council told the BBC: "We remain focused on progressing school modernisation plans for a replacement Ysgol Gymraeg Bro Ogwr but the presence of reptiles at the new site has caused a delay to the completion of the ecology work.

"With this in mind and following consultation with the school's governing body, our cabinet recently approved a new opening date of September 2027.

"The relocation of the reptiles is expected to take place over the coming summer period and further site investigation works will then be able to take place following the removal of the remaining scrub and brambles.

"Planning and architectural design work is continuing to take place and we look forward to providing further updates in the coming months."