Centre for Learning and Wellbeing

Derw Newydd, which was formerly named the ‘Centre for Learning Wellbeing’ (CLWB), is one of two new schools delivered for the Vale of Glamorgan in 2023 by Morgan Sindall Construction. The school is part of the Council’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme, to build robust future proofed facilities that respond to the modern day to day curriculum.

Key Stats

New build centre for learning serving pupils with Social, emotional and Mental Health needs.
Development on the former Court Road Depot site in Barry
Targeting BREEAM Excellent
Constructed on a Brownfield site
Net Zero Carbon in Operation
10/10 Client satisfaction

At a Glance

Client

Vale of Glamorgan Council

Budget

£7.4m

Completion

July 2023

Location

Barry, South Glamorgan

Framework

SEWSCAP 3

Sector

Education, Secondary

Social value

£7.5 million

Sustainability

98% Waste Diverted from Landfill

The history of the existing site

Sitting at the heart of Barry opposite the football stadium, the facility has undergone several changes of use over its life span, ranging from once being a Jeans factory, through to being the council’s maintenance depot and recycling centre. Our team inherited the site with some of the remanence of the depot and recycling centre remaining, although most of the site had been demolished prior to our involvement. The team reused some of the crushed stone on site as fill for the ground.

A robust specification to stands the test of time

The view was that the facility, through its design, would best support students who may require extra and special support. The project team took extra care to procure robust and hard standing materials such as hard standing doors to preserve the longevity and life of the building. To suit their curriculum, the team changed the purpose of some areas of the building. This included changes to the food tech room whereby instead of installing a single cooking display station, it had been changed to a multiple cooking station, capable of accommodating six pupils. These stations are all electric with no gas in the building to support the wider Welsh Government Net Zero Carbon aspiration.

Achieving the clients Net Zero carbon requirement

The Welsh Government mandated that all schools and colleges in Wales must reduce its carbon emissions to Net Zero, to ensure Wales are carbon Net Zero by 2030. Schools traditionally use a lot of energy to function, with most of this energy generated through fossil fuels. Through several design workshops with a range of stakeholders including the Vale of Glamorgan, the team were able to construct a net zero carbon facility. Renewable energy sources were prioritised where possible. The facility houses roughly 200 Photo Voltaic panels on the roof, and Air Source Heat Pumps (ASHP) have been built into the building as ASHPs functions using electricity, a renewable energy.

A Sustainable Urban Drainage System (SUDS) had been introduced on the project to reduce the volume of runoff reaching drains and watercourses.

The team explored ways to reduce the embodied carbon usage on the project. The project team reused stone and cement which had been crushed on site and then used as fill

A day volunteered at the Gibby Green Fingers Community Garden

The Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme along with our own Morgan Sindall personal values, aims to ensure our projects provide more than just a building for the community. Morgan Sindall has a shared passion with the council to provide other social and economic benefits as arisings from this project.

The project team donated over 81 volunteering hours on a range of community activities which included supporting the Gibby Green Fingers Community Garden in Barry. The project team cleared overgrown areas within the garden which opened back up valuable lost space for the local community. They joined the Vale of Glamorgan Council at Porthkerry Park to help with litter picking and the clearance of trees felled from ash dieback.

The team also spent time at St Luke’s Community Garden in Penarth by treating and painting the fencing and greenhouses.

We understand that you are there to deliver the project but the above and beyond attitude is totally appreciated. You are our first call which is a nice place to be"

Kelly Williams, Vale of Glamorgan Council