Educate Together school in Newcastle to double in size

Galway City Council has approved plans to almost double the size of the Educate Together national school in Newcastle.

The plans involve a two-storey extension comprising eight classrooms, teachers’ rooms, library and set rooms; a new access road to a carparking and drop-off facility with 32 spaces; a new ballcourt; junior play area; and landscaped garden.

Despite initial clashes with local residents and the neighbouring charity Croí, planners have given the go-ahead.

Last year, the Council pointed out that there were conflicting drawings for a proposed carpark; that the landscaping plan bore no relation to the actual site and that a pond is a “questionable feature” for a primary school.

The Department of Education was also asked for evidence that it had legal consents from Croí, the City Council and the Newcastle Combined Community Association (NCCA) to use parts of their land.

Officials in the Department had previously been accused of an illegal ‘landgrab’ by Croí, which operates a Heart and Stroke Centre on an adjacent site on the Thomas Hynes Road.

New documentation was also submitted to the Council, which includes a consent from Croí to make the planning application.

Plans were also revised on the advice of the local authority.

The school authorities pointed out that the pond is a pre-existing feature on the school campus, but it is located on the development site.

“The Board of Management wish to retain this feature within the campus as an educational and amenity provision for the pupils, we have therefore relocated it and provided a wetland species mix. The pond would be constructed so as to have a wide and extremely shallow aquatic shelf heavily planted with wetland marginal species,” the school said.

In her decision to approve the application, the Council’s Senior Planner Caroline Phelan said: “The extension to the school would almost double the current capacity and is in line with Department [policy] to plan in advance for anticipated demand. The site has capacity to absorb this intensity where drop-off, pick-up traffic has been accommodated on the adjacent site.

“The extension, although not faithful to the original design, has been modified to provide for visual linkage. Accessibility for the pedestrians has been improved in the layout.

“The landscaping scheme has changed to respect the legacy of the school’s planting and aligned with their specific requirements.

“The carparking provided on the adjacent site is to cater for drop-off and pick-up. It will ultimately be ‘shared’ with the future community uses and avoids duplicity of provision,” said Ms Phelan.

The Council ordered that before construction work can commence, the Department must produce a written agreement with concerned parties on caparking to ensure long-term viability and maintenance.

The access road and carpark must also be constructed to an acceptable standard prior to the opening of the extension.

“The entrance gate to the school site adjacent to the set-down area shall be open and available for use at least 30 minutes before school opening times and after school closing times, unless otherwise agreed in writing by the Planning Authority,” planners added.