Cardiff Council has approved plans for a temporary teaching space at The Cathedral School in Llandaff, following the flooding of the school's basement. The temporary accommodation will replace archive and teaching space lost in the incident and will remain in place until December 31, 2027, according to planning documents.
Details of the Flooding and Temporary Solution
The school, located on Cardiff Road, suffered basement flooding that rendered several rooms unusable. Planning documents submitted to the council state: “The proposals are to allow temporary accommodation for the school’s archives and teaching space following the flooding of the school basement.” The temporary building will be situated in a courtyard at the rear of more recently-developed teaching accommodation to minimise impact on heritage assets.
The Cathedral School is home to two listed buildings and a scheduled ancient monument, the Bishop’s Palace. The site is also within the Llandaff conservation area. The temporary structure is designed to be modest and modular, with the council's officer report noting: “Given its discreet courtyard location, the building would be largely screened from views within and beyond the school grounds.”
Impact on Heritage and Access
The planning application emphasised that the temporary accommodation would have “no lasting adverse impact” on the site. The officer’s report concluded: “Its temporary, modest, and modular form is not considered to adversely affect the listed building or its setting nor the character and appearance of the conservation area. Accordingly, it is considered that the temporary building will not result in a negative impact and therefore preserve the character and setting of the conservation area, the listed building, and scheduled ancient monument in accordance with relevant legislation.”
Access to the school is currently limited to one vehicle and pedestrian access point on Cardiff Road, along with three pedestrian-only access points around the grounds. The application confirmed that the development would not affect any of these points, meaning “access to the school on a day-to-day basis will remain unchanged as a result of the development.”
Timeline and Next Steps
The temporary accommodation is intended to be in place until December 31, 2027, allowing the school time to put “alternative arrangements in place.” The school sought to minimise disruption to its educational activities while ensuring compliance with heritage protections. The approval marks a key step in the school’s recovery from the flooding incident.
