Planning snag cleared on gaelscoil
Iúil 13, 2015
The new Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh in Knocknacarra could be opened by the end of 2016, after a unanimous vote from councillors to set aside planning regulations.
The school, with a capacity for around 600 pupils, will be located on a 4.5 acre site opposite the Millar’s Lane football pitch on land which was purchased from NAMA.
It will become the replacement for the existing Gaelscoil Mhic Amhlaigh off the Cappagh Road – that school premises will then be taken over and run as an Educate Together national school. Because part of the site is on land zoned for industrial use, councillors were asked this week to vote on a Material Contravention of the City Development Plan to allow it proceed.
Recommending a vote in favour, the City Council’s Chief Executive, Brendan McGrath said: “Any proposal that would reduce the amount of land available in the Knocknacarra area for the location of enterprise or similar job creation opportunities should be considered seriously.
“However, in view of the small amount in the reduction of industrial zoned lands, the huge community benefit of a significant school project for the community, the potential value added to delivering the vision of the [Knocknacarra] District Centre, the sustainable benefits of the location and the likely visual and public realm improvements that can be delivered from the project, it is recommended that the members vote in favour of the resolution,” said Mr McGrath.
Local area councillor Donal Lyons said the existing gaelscoil has nearly doubled in size, with 480 pupils, and a previously plan to expand it from 12 to 16 classrooms was omitted from the national school-building scheme a number of years ago.
He said the new school will have 24 classrooms, a general purpose room, a server, a library and resource room and special education classrooms, as well as 36 parking spaces.
Part of the site will be used as a large grass play area, ball courts and an enclosed junior play area.
Cllr Lyons did concede the development will have traffic implications, as there will now be four schools “within a few hundred yards of each other” – the new gaelscoil, the Steiner and Educate Together schools in the adjacent Lisbrook House and Knocknacarra National School further along the Distributor Road.
Councillors voted unanimously in favour of the Material Contravention, allowing the development proceed.
