£30m 'super school' plan for Port Talbot comprehensives

Three comprehensive schools serving Port Talbot would close to be replaced by one 'super school' under plans drawn up by council officers.

Glanafan, Sandfields and Cwrt Sart would shut and a £30m new build would open under their favoured option.

Neath Port Talbot says all have significant surplus places and the existing buildings need over £14m spend on them to bring them up to standard.

The council's cabinet is being asked to sanction consultation on the plan.

Three options are being put to members at their meeting on Thursday.

The preferred option would see all three comprehensive schools closed and a new school built from scratch in the area.

Alternatively one of the schools would remain open, with money spent on the existing site, and pupils from the other two transferred there.

Separate discussion are ongoing about St Joseph's Comprehensive School which is a faith school serving the area.

The council said to maintain the status quo it would need to spend £4m at Glanafan, £5.8m at Sandfields and £4.3m at Cwrt Sart to repair and maintain the premises.

Glanafan has 527 pupils, Sandfields 651 and Cwrt Sart 533.

A report going before Thursday's meeting states: "The provision of a new 21st Century secondary school presents an opportunity to provide state of the art teaching and learning facilities."

The council said it would also look at reorganising primary school provision in the Sandfields area where "deteriorating building stock and surplus capacity" also needs addressing.

A statement from the authority is expected later.