A new net zero primary school has officially opened in Cwmbran, marking the completion of a £16.2 million redevelopment project delivered by Morgan Sindall Construction on behalf of Torfaen County Borough Council.

The new Maendy Primary School was formally opened during a ceremony attended by Welsh Cabinet Secretary for Education Lynne Neagle, representatives from Morgan Sindall Construction, Torfaen County Borough Council and school staff. Pupils also took part in the celebrations, performing songs before guests toured the new facilities.

The two-storey school has capacity for 420 pupils across 16 classrooms and replaces the previous school building with a 2,184 sq m facility designed to operate as a net zero carbon building. The project was completed in two phases, with the main school building handed over in May 2025 and the remaining site works completed in February 2026.

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The first phase delivered the new teaching building together with a rear playground, a multi-use games area (MUGA) and dedicated outdoor play spaces. The second phase involved demolishing the former school building to make way for additional infrastructure, including a new access road, a car park equipped with electric vehicle charging points, sports fields and a Forest School area for outdoor learning.

The building has been designed to achieve a BREEAM Excellent rating and incorporates an all-brick clad steel structure with 700 sq m of rooftop solar photovoltaic panels. The layout of the school has also been designed to improve energy efficiency while supporting modern teaching and learning environments.

During construction, Morgan Sindall Construction participated in its 10-tonne challenge, an initiative aimed at reducing embodied carbon during construction. The project recorded carbon savings of 89 tonnes of CO₂e, including through the use of reusable kentledge blocks in place of traditional concrete foundations for site hoarding, allowing the hoarding to be relocated between construction phases without new concrete works.

The contractor also delivered a programme of community engagement throughout the build, including construction safety sessions, assemblies and carbon literacy workshops for pupils. Additional support has included sponsorship of the Healthy Dragons wellbeing programme, delivered in partnership with the Dragons RFC Community Team, and the donation of materials to create hedgehog habitats within the school's Forest School area.

The completed development also introduces an internal drop-off area intended to reduce congestion around the school during peak times and improve safety for pupils and parents.