A FORMER Bangor primary school recently targeted in an “arson attack” looks set to be demolished amid “public safety concerns”.

Two fire engines attended a fire at the derelict Ysgol Glanadda site on Friday, May 27.

Now, Gwynedd Council planners have received “prior notification” for the proposed demolition of  ‘school structures following an arson attack’ at the site on School Lane.

The council has also said the old site will eventually be re-used to relocate another Bangor school – Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes – Our Lady’s School.

The Catholic primary school  is currently located nearby, just along Caernarfon Road.

The historic Ysgol Glanadda red brick building was originally built in the late 1800s but closed in 2020 amid  a £12.7m investment scheme of primary education in the city.

The shake-up saw the closure of Ysgol Glanadda and Ysgol Babanod Coed Mawr with pupils re allocated places at other schools in the area.

The original  Ysgol Glanadda was one of the city’s oldest school buildings and had served the education needs of the area for about 123 years before it closed.

A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said:  “Following a recent arson attack, an application has been submitted to demolish the former Ysgol Glanadda building in Bangor on public safety grounds.

“In future, our aim is to relocate Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes to the Glanadda site, and plans are being developed for this exciting proposal.

“The application to demolish the former Glanadda building will not effect the plans for the new Ysgol Ein Harglwyddes building.”

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Bangor Dewi ward councillor Gareth A Roberts said: “It is a shame that another historic building in Bangor is going to be knocked down. It is quite a striking building, well known to lots of people in Bangor.

“The council is having to do it for public safety after this arson incident and because of a bit of asbestos, only a small amount, but all these old buildings had it and has to be removed properly.”

A spokesperson for North Wales Fire and Rescue Centre said fire crews were called to a derelict school building at Glanadda on Friday May 27.

They said it had been  “a deliberate ignition, and firefighters had found ten chairs set alight. Two fire engines attended the fire.” 

A spokesperson for North Wales Police said they received a call at 10.23am on 27th May reporting smoke coming from the old Ysgol Glanadda on Caernarfon Road, Bangor.

“Officers attended to assist colleagues from NWFRS. The incident is currently being treated as arson, and our investigations are continuing. Anyone with information should contact us via our Live webchat on our website, or call 101 quoting reference B076000.”