A NEW primary school will be built in Hay-on-Wye, but there is uncertainty over how it will be funded.

Powys County Council has reportedly asked a private developer that was willing to provide a new school in return for the existing primary school site at Oxford Road, to make it a 'final offer'.

The council's initial plan to sell the Oxford Road site for a possible supermarket development had sparked widespread opposition. The council said the new school would have been built at no cost to itself.

A campaign group, Plan B, had sought to unite shopkeepers and those campaigning for a new school by presenting an alternative funding model to the council.

It now appears the council is offering a final chance to the private developer to fund the school and develop the Oxford Road site for retail.

Hay's county councillor, Gareth Ratcliffe, who also sits on the council's cabinet executive, posted a statement confirming the decision to build the 240 place primary school within the next two years to his Facebook page.

It said: "A new 240-pupil primary school will be built in Hay-on-Wye in the next two years Powys County Council has announced."

The statement also quoted council leader, David Jones, who was reported as saying: "The need for a new 240 pupil school in Hay-on-Wye has been recognised for some time and the council had been in discussion with a developer. That scheme, if successful, could have provided a new building without cost to the council in exchange for a retail development taking place on the existing school site.

"While initial proposals seemed positive detailed discussions revealed a question mark over the plan's value for money.

"As a result the council has asked the developer to produce a final 'best offer'.

"However, the need for a new school is clear. We have been reviewing primary school provision in the Gwernyfed secondary catchment area as part of our modernising initiative and there is demand for a new 240-pupil facility in the town."