Powys Council seeks housebuilder for Welshpool school site

Powys County Council is preparing to tender for the construction of sixteen bungalows on Gungrog Church in Wales Nursery and Infant School.

Having submitted an application to build the one and two-bedroom bungalows on the old school site in January, on March 25 the council revealed they are proposing to tender the project as a build contact.

The council is looking for a construction company to handle building the environmentally friendly bungalows, as well as demolishing the school building and ancillary buildings on the site.

The proposal includes 12 one-bedroom bungalows as well as an additional four two-bedroom bungalows and has been in development since 2023, when the school was declared surplus and all services within Powys County Council were asked whether they had any use for this property. The council’s Housing Services expressed an interest in acquiring the site to develop affordable council homes for local people.

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Within the planning application, they said: “The proposed development presents an opportunity for Powys County Council to deliver much needed affordable housing provision in a highly sustainable brownfield location, on land north of Welshpool’s town centre.

“The proposed development will result in the delivery of 12 one-bedroom bungalows and four two-bedroom bungalows in a highly sought after area where there is a significant housing need whilst being in keeping with the residential context.

“The development of the site would be delivered in a sympathetic manner with adequate provisions for landscaping, parking, and drainage infrastructure made, in addition to ecological and landscape mitigation where necessary.”

At a meeting in February, Welshpool Town Council’s planning committee voiced support for the application, citing a need for affordable housing in the area.

Powys Council are inviting contractors experienced in delivering council and social housing projects to contact the them for a short individual meeting in advance of the formal procurement process.