Plans to revamp a school in Caerphilly have prompted worries from nearby residents, who apprehend that a bigger structure could diminish their privacy, natural light and house prices.

The existing single-storey teaching blocks at Plasyfelin Primary School are set to be demolished to make way for a new double-height development, which supporters maintain will deliver high-quality learning facilities for children.

However, when construction commenced during the recent school holiday period, multiple householders on the adjacent Morgan Street – including individuals who had submitted objections during the planning stage – expressed alarm at the dimensions of the emerging structure.

They contend the authority should have provided more explicit information regarding the intended elevation of the land beneath the new school premises.

Caerphilly County Borough Council acknowledged the worries put forward by residents living next to the development and stated these matters are presently under review.

Among those sharing similar sentiments with his fellow householders was Morgan Street inhabitant Gary Lynch, who acknowledged that residing close to an established primary school inevitably entails accepting a degree of noise and activity during operating hours.

The 57-year-old resident noted that the school had posed no issues during his 12-year tenure, particularly from his garden where the original buildings remained invisible. He observed that the new construction now towers above his property.

Mr Lynch indicated that he and his spouse frequently use their outdoor space during favourable weather yet now feel the updated school dominates their vista. He also pointed to an unobstructed view between the school’s upper level and one of his bedrooms.

Mr Lynch, who opposed the school scheme during the public consultation, noted that diagrams depicted the replacement building sitting on elevated ground – yet the council had given assurances that it would be sufficiently distant to avoid being oppressive.

Glancing out at the construction zone, he remarked that it does not appear particularly far removed. He stressed this is not comparable to a standard two-storey home – it represents a substantial elevated commercial structure that gazes directly into their sleeping quarters.

A short distance along Morgan Street, another resident, Jacky Cantello, described the height of the development as unsettling and argued the council ought to have been more explicit regarding the raised ground level. She stated the structure is enormous. Despite being merely an infant school, she questioned why they could not have positioned it at a lower elevation.

She explained they have occupied these properties since their construction and accepted the presence of a school while anticipating some playground noise. Nevertheless, she maintained this structure constitutes an entirely different proposition due to its scale and proximity to their homes, exerting considerably more dominance than anticipated.

A third resident of Morgan Street observed that local people did not fully grasp the significant elevation of the proposed development when proposals were presented during the consultation phase. They noted the council had heightened the ground level. What baffles them, they stated, is the failure to construct the school on the opposite side of the grounds.

Mr Lynch proposed that the eastern section of the primary school site – bordering woodland and Ysgol Gyfun Cwm Rhymni – would have represented a superior location for construction.

Both he and Mrs Cantello expressed concerns that the updated school premises might affect their properties’ market worth.

Mr Lynch stated they anticipate relocating to a smaller home in the foreseeable future and harbour anxieties about house valuations. While they recognise there may be limited recourse available at this stage, they believe the council failed to fully disclose their intended approach. He suspects the council simply approved the plans without properly considering the objections, and he genuinely cannot comprehend why they declined to build on the alternative section of the school grounds.