The Vale of Glamorgan Council's Cabinet has approved plans to build a new £5.4 million primary school on the site of Cowbridge Comprehensive.

Set to open in September 2022, the new building will eventually cater for 210 primary pupils and provide 48 part-time nursery places.

It will also create an 'all through' school for Cowbridge, supporting children from age three to 19.

The school building is set to feature classrooms, a main hall for sport and dining, offices for senior staff and administration, a staffroom and breakout areas.

Within the grounds there are also plans for external play areas, a multi-use games area (MUGA) and wildlife areas.

The school will be designed to produce net-zero carbon, supporting the Council's aim to achieve that as an organisation by 2030.

All funding will be provided by the Council, largely through Section 106 contributions secured from local developments for educational facilities.

The Council is working closely with a range of stakeholders to finalise the design for the school, which will be subject to planning approval.

Cllr Lis Burnett, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Education and Regeneration said: "This development is designed to meet increased demand for primary education in Cowbridge created by proposed housing developments and will provide pupils with a first-class learning environment.

"It is part of a wide-ranging series of projects to upgrade educational facilities across the County under our 21st Century Schools banner.

"That is the most ambitious programme of work ever undertaken in the Vale, one that should mean pupils in our schools have the very best platform for success."

A statutory notice was published on 13 January. The Council received 92 objections by the end of the 28-day objection period, 37 of which did not provide reasons for their objection.

Reasons for objecting included that there was no evidence that an 'all-through' model has any benefits, concerns over primary pupils being around older students, the lack of a head teacher for the primary phase, unfairness of admissions arrangements, and insufficient infrastructure around Cowbridge Comprehensive.

Other objections were themed around Y Bont Faen, saying it was in poor repair and should be expanded or used as an alternative site for the new primary school.

Cllr Geoff Cox submitted a formal objection on behalf of the local ward members for Cowbridge stating: "Geoff Cox, Hunter Jarvie and Andrew Parker, Vale of Glamorgan councillors for Cowbridge ward, object to the proposals for an all through school to accommodate the projected increase in demand for English medium primary education in the Cowbridge area.

"We objected when this was first mooted in November 2019 and still hold to these views.

"Our belief is that primary education is better served by expanding Y Bont Faen as a stand-alone school and with its management responsibility for administration and control."