£4 million project will create a new school in Letterston

An artistic impression of the planned reception area at Ysgol Ger y Llan at Letterston

An artistic impression of the planned reception area at Ysgol Ger y Llan at Letterston

Award-winning South Wales architects the Lewis Partnership are playing their part in the development of a new school at Letterston in Pembrokeshire.

The £4 million project is creating a new school for nearly 200 pupils, aged three to 11, on a site next to the existing Ysgol Ger y Llan at Letterston.

Haverfordwest-based builders W.B. Griffiths & Son Ltd are in charge of construction and the new school is expected to be completed this summer.

The finished school will amalgamate two local schools, housing pupils from Ysgol Ger y Llan and Mathry School following an education reshuffle. The school will also provide community facilities.

“As the architects in charge of the design work, we are thrilled to be involved with the project,” said the managing director of the Lewis Partnership, Philip Lewis.

“We have been involved with other school projects for the local education authority, Pembrokeshire County Council, in the past and we were delighted to provide the winning design for the new Ysgol Ger y Llan.

“The building has been designed with a high emphasis on health and well being, something which strikes a chord with anyone interested in the welfare of children and education.

“The design of the building has been benchmarked for BREEAM, the world’s foremost environmental assessment method and rating system for buildings.

“BREEAM sets the standard for best practice in sustainable building design and the new Ysgol Ger y Llan has been given an ‘Excellent’ rating which means it is about as sustainable as you can get.”

An artistic impression of the new Ysgol Ger y Llan at Letterston

An artistic impression of the new Ysgol Ger y Llan at Letterston

Mr Lewis said that his team of architects had worked very hard on achieving a design which will contribute to the learning experience and not just be viewed as a traditional place of work or school

“At least 80% of the floor area in each occupied space will receive adequate day light and have an adequate view out.

“Fresh air will be delivered to the occupied spaces of the building via a natural ventilation strategy.

“In addition, we have taken care to ensure that the external features of the design contribute to the education experience.

“There will be a multi-use games area and a grass pitch, all within a secure perimeter.”

Other features will include dedicated areas with raised planters for pupils to create and manage organic planting.

There will also be natural habitat areas, including a wildflower meadow area, bird nesting boxes and feeder stations and bat roosting boxes around the site to improve biodiversity.

There will be a car park and a wildlife pond and a dedicated ‘African’ garden

The school building itself will include six classrooms a main hall and a kitchen.

Hot water needs will be provided by solar thermal collectors on the roof.

Mr Lewis added: “All in all, it’s a very innovative project and one which we hope will meet with the approval of the pupils and teachers who will use the school.”

Photos attached: An artist’s impression of the finished school at Ysgol Ger y Llan, showing the whole building and the view of the reception area.

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Lewis Partnership helps write new chapter in Aberglasney story

Aberglasney mansion house

South Wales architects the Lewis Partnership are playing their part in writing a new chapter in the history of historic Aberglasney House in the Tywi Valley.

The Llanelli-based architects have been commissioned to draw up plans for the next phase of restoration at the mansion house which sits at the centre of the heritage gardens.

“It is a great privilege and honour to play a part in the continued restoration work at Aberglasney,” said Philip Lewis, managing director of the Lewis Partnership.

“The restoration of the house and gardens has been a high profile exercise and the gardens are now one of the finest tourist attractions in Wales.

“The latest restoration work at the house is billed as ‘Phase Five’ at Aberglasney.

“The actual works involved are very extensive. They involve restoration of the main hall, the elegant staircase and restoring the interior of the East Wing and other rooms.

“Naturally, for house with such great history a great deal of care and sensitivity has been required to draw up the plans for the project.”

Aberglasney mansion house

Aberglasney mansion house

Roger Evans, the chief executive of the Aberglasney Restoration Trust, said: “The gardens have come a long way since their derelict state more than 20 years ago.

“Aberglasney is billed as ‘a garden lost in time’, but the restoration trust is keen to ensure that no time is lost in preserving and enhancing what we have here.

“The Phase Five project is currently out to tender to different building and construction firms, but lovers of the garden will be delighted to learn that, when work does start, disruption to visitors to Aberglasney will be kept to a minimum.

“The works will be a huge boost to Aberglasney and will give us many more options for exhibition spaces and meeting rooms.”

Mr Evans said the restoration would be carried out in cooperation with the Welsh Historic Monuments association Cadw, the Welsh European Funding Office WEFO and the ‘One Historic Garden Scheme’.

He added: “As you can imagine, a great deal of planning has to go into a restoration exercise such as this.

“But the very fact that Phase Five is moving forward is an indication of the desire of the Aberglasney Restoration Trust to build on the success of the gardens as a centre for excellence in heritage gardening and enhance the aesthetic beauty of the gardens for the enjoyment of our visitors.

“The work of the trust extends back to the early 1990s and the original restoration works saw us build towards the success of the opening of the gardens in July, 1999.

“We always like to remind ourselves of the following phrase – Aberglasney is changing and growing – a garden lost in time, but now belonging to the past, present and future.”

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