The official name for Ceredigion’s new £16.3m 240-pupil Welsh-medium 3-11 school near Aberaeron was backed by senior councillors today (Tuesday, February 20).

Last May, Ceredigion County Council’s Development Management Committee supported an application to build the new school on a greenfield site at Dyffryn Aeron, Felinfach, on the road from Aberaeron to Lampeter.

The £16.3m school, being built by built by Wynne Construction, is 70 per cent funded through the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Communities for Learning Programme.

READ MORE: Ceredigion woman bombarded 999 with wave of nuisance calls

The new school will bring together three primary schools: Ciliau Parc Primary, Dihewyd Primary and Felinfach Primary, as well as the existing Ysgol Feithrin; and Language immersion Centre at Felinfach.

At Ceredigion County Council’s Cabinet meeting of February 20, members heard a shortlist of potential names for the new school was circulated by its shadow governing body, with Ysgol Dyffryn Aeron decided as its name, which was officially approved at the meeting.

A ceremony was held to note the start of works last year, with councillors, officers, pupils from the local schools and contractors present.

Addressing those present, Council Leader Cllr Bryan Davies, said: “This is an exciting project for people in Dyffryn Aeron and a great opportunity to invest in education in a rural area. We look forward now to continuing to work with the contractors, Wynne Construction, to ensure first-class facilities to pupils in the area.”

Agent TACP Architects Ltd, in its design and access statement said the development “will bring the standard of teaching accommodation available within the Aeron Valley up to 21st Century Schools standards. It will also deliver a net zero carbon in operation school, which contributes to Ceredigion Council’s efforts to deliver a zero-carbon authority by 2030”.