Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes – Our Lady’s School – in Bangor, will relocate to the cleared site of Ysgol Glanadda in 2024 – a move that has welcomed by its headteacher and pupils.
Ysgol Glanadda closed in 2020 amid a £12.7m investment scheme of primary education in the city and, following a recent arson attack, an application has been submitted to Gwynedd Council to demolish the building.
The council has also confirmed the site will eventually be re-used to relocate Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes. The Catholic primary school is currently located further along Caernarfon Road.
A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “Following a recent arson attack, an application has been submitted to demolish the former Ysgol Glanadda building in Bangor on public safety grounds.
“In future, our aim is to relocate Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes to the Glanadda site, and plans are being developed for this exciting proposal.
“The application to demolish the former Glanadda building will not affect the plans for the new Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes building.”
There has been a long campaign to upgrade its facilities at Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes and also to improve road safety for its pupils.
Headteacher Ms Kay O’Hanlon said the whole school was “extremely excited” at the proposed move, where the school looks set to gain a modern building, away from the main road, and with extra facilities including a grassy sports field.
To mark the upcoming relocation, youngsters at the 150 pupil primary school have started a project chronicling the history of their school.
Ms O’Hanlon said: “We absolutely can’t wait to move, although it’s very early days, it’s still in the planning stages yet, architects are working on the drawings.
“Our older pupils, sadly won’t get to be in the new school by the time the move happens, but they have been getting involved, and have been doing an excellent history project, collecting old pictures and facts all about the school’s history.
“We have long campaigned to move, for at least 40 years the diocese and the county council have been talking about it so we are well ready for it. We were disappointed we didn’t get to move in the last reorganisation.
“We are on a very busy road here, so the new site is going to be new and modern, and it will be much safer as is not right on a busy main road.
“It will also be really nice to have the use of a nearby grassy sports field too, which we haven’t got here.
She added “We are originally a Victorian school, built in 1879, some parts of our buildings from the 19th century are still used.
“We are really excited, and ready for the new building, which will be much better suited to a 21st century education.”
