Proposals to extend the catchment area of a Welsh-medium school in north Pembrokeshire have been backed, but concerns have been raised about potential extra school transport costs.

The current catchment area of Ysgol Croesgoch overlaps a number of electoral wards; Llanrhian, St David’s, Solva and Letterston.

It is proposed that, from September, the catchment area is extended southwards broadly aligning with the electoral boundary of Brawdy Community Council, and westwards to include the St David’s peninsula.

Pupils living within the current Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi catchment area will continue to be offered to attend Ysgol Penrhyn Dewi for their English-medium primary education, but pupils will also be entitled to attend Ysgol Croesgoch.

Pupils in the new catchment area and more than two miles away will be entitled to free school transport to Ysgol Croesgoch.

The school is expected to be fully Welsh-medium by September 2025.

At the February meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, Member for Education and Welsh Language Councillor Guy Woodham moved the proposals be supported.

“There is sufficient evidence that extending the catchment area can be accommodated.”

He told members doing so could incur additional school transport costs, estimated at £1,750 a year per additional pupil using free school transport.

Councillor Neil Prior seconded the motion, adding: “Providing this choice is positive; for Pembrokeshire, for the peninsula, and for the Welsh language.”

Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change Councillor Paul Miller, who also supported the proposals, said: “I do recognise there is a concern about the cost; I just wonder if there is a bit of work we need to be doing, in the round, about this is costing us.”

He stressed any actual costs would be dependent on how many additional pupils used school transport.

He later added: “I do understand it’s difficult; we’ve no idea whether one parent or 100 parents will take up this offer.”

Members unanimously supported the recommendation.

A consultation on the proposal to extend the catchment area took place between September 27 of last year and November 30.