PLANS to build a brand new school building for Ysgol Carreg Emlyn have taken a significant step forward, as Denbighshire County Council have acquired land at the proposed site in Clocaenog.

Ysgol Carreg Emlyn, an infant and junior primary school, is situated at Clocaenog and Cyffylliog. Construction for a new building is set to begin on the Clocaenog site over the coming weeks.

The new primary school’s catchment area includes Bontuchel, Clawddnewydd, Cyffylliog, Derwen, and surrounding areas.

Councillor Huw Hilditch-Roberts, Cabinet Lead Member for Education, Children and Young People and the Welsh Language, said: “This is tremendous news for pupils at Carreg Emlyn and for future generations living in the Clocaenog, Cyffylliog and surrounding areas.

“We recognise the news has been a long time coming but we are delivering on our promise to press ahead with these ambitious plans.

“The investment by Denbighshire and by the Welsh Government clearly reflects the commitment to improving facilities for our children and young people and generations of children will soon benefit from state of the art educational facilities that are fit for the 21st Century. This is also another significant investment in Welsh medium education in the county.

Ysgol Carreg Emlyn is the latest update in a series of new school and modern extension projects being funded by Denbighshire County Council and the Welsh Government, through their ‘21st Century Schools and Education Capital Programme’. This includes Ysgol Glan Clwyd, Rhos Street School and Ysgol Pen Barras, Ysgol Llanfair DC, Ysgol Twm-y-nant, Rhyl High School and Bodnant Community School. The initiative has also granted Gwynedd Council funding for a new Welsh medium all-through school in Bala.

Eryl Williams, counsellor for Efenechtyd, said: “I am delighted about the news and look forward to the new school being built.

Cllr. Williams continued: ““We have spent a long time waiting, there has been lots of planning over the last year but now we have the go ahead.”

“It will take us out of the unsatisfactory situation we have been in where children have had to travel so far to school.

“We will now have a massive education environment with fantastic facilities, centrally located in the community. I am delighted about the news and look forward to the new school being built.”