Plans for a private nursery at a new £50.2m all-through school have been scrapped following a backlash.

Most people who responded to a public consultation about the 1,921-pupil ’super school’ on the site of the current King Henry VIII in Abergavenny opposed the proposed governance arrangements due to plans for the nursery to be non-maintained.

And Monmouthshire Council has now amended its proposals to include a maintained pre-school.

The scheme includes closing the 469-year-old King Henry VIII - the second oldest school in Wales - and Deri View Primary, with Welsh language primary Ysgol Gymraeg Y Fenni moving to the latter, and opening the new super school from September 2023.

The report on the public consultation due to be discussed by Cabinet this week says: “The most significant area of concern was the nature of the nursery provision.

“The original rationale in the consultation was to test the benefits of a non-maintained setting.

“It became very clear during the consultation process that this was not supported by a significant part of the community.”

A maintained nursery – which is currently provided at Deri View Primary School – means it would be part of the school and managed by the headteacher.

A non-maintained nursery can offer more flexibility, but concerns were raised it could result in increased costs for families.

The new school development is part of the council’s 21st century schools band B programme, which is funded 65 per cent by Welsh Government and 35 per cent by the local authority.

The proposals to provide education for three-year-olds right through to 19-year-olds on one site includes 30 nursery places, 420 primary, 1,200 aged 11 to 16 and 200 sixth former places.

Specialist provision for children with complex neuro-developmental and learning needs will also be included, with accommodation for 71 pupils provided.

A report says the school will be “one of the most significant capital projects that Monmouthshire County Council has ever engaged in”.

“For that reason alone, it is vital that we take head of the messages emerging from the consultation process,” it adds.

Monmouthshire Council’s cabinet will consider the amended proposals at a meeting today (Wednesday, October 6), including whether to move forward with publishing statutory notices in line with the proposals.

However, some residents have claimed the super school will make local access roads to the proposed site off Old Hereford Road “unsafe” with hundreds’ more vehicle movements and reduce the amount of space for sport.

Posts on the Abergavenny Voice Facebook page last week said the traffic would be “chaos”, while one poster claimed a similar scheme in Ebbw Vale had been a ‘disaster’.

One man predicted: “Horrendous traffic problems at the bottom of Penypound traffic lights.”

A woman posted: “I think it is a terrible idea as it will create far more traffic and parking problems on an already busy site…

“Yes KHS needs updating and yes the Welsh school deserves a new building but I think this is the wrong way to do it.”

Another mother added: “As a parent of a child with additional needs i think the idea of a super school is awful. Children with ASD cannot cope with busy large environments.”

One poster claimed primary youngsters would feel overwhelmed, saying: “Think of the children, who find it difficult enough to settle into a school of 400 - how will they feel in a huge combined one?

‘‘Quite frankly, the idea is bizarre.”

Richard O’Connor, who has campaigned vociferously against the scheme, posted: “Three buildings and a leisure centre on one site originally planned for just one secondary school, supported with space for school and community recreational sport.

“MCC see opportunity to reduce maintenance costs and sell off one site wins the day! Crammed in schoolchildren with no room for future growth - Shameful!”