Construction of new school in Waterford city is greenlit

The existing Gaelcholáiste Phort Láirge facility in Waterford city is due to be demolished, and a brand new school constructed in its place.

The approved plans include the demolition of the school’s existing educational facility and adjoining temporary creche facility.

At the site, a new, much larger standalone post primary school building is approved.

The new school will include twelve general classrooms, two special education classrooms, a library, science labs, general purpose hall, fitness suite and multi-use hall.

Also greenlit are dedicated classrooms to facilitate music, construction studies, home economics and engineering.

In February of this year, the local planning authority approved these plans, subject to fourteen conditions.

The applicant subsequently appealed against two of these conditions however, and the matter was brought to the attention of An Coimisiún Pleanála for resolution.

One of these conditions requested the applicant realign a public road adjacent to the school development site. The applicant outlined that this work should have been completed by the local authority years ago, and the burden of doing so was now being placed on the school.

The applicant added that the condition is not enforceable, vague, unwieldy and imprecise.

The applicant also appealed to condition number 14 provided by the local authority.

This condition stated that the applicant must make a special contribution of €125,000, in respect of costs that will be incurred by the local authority to provide a pedestrian crossing point to the north of the site in order to facilitate the development.

The applicant noted that this figure was excessive.

On review of these conditions, An Coimisiún Pleanála’s inspector decided that they both be removed entirely.

The development is now free to proceed.

(Funded by the Local Democracy Scheme