SDLP Cllr John Boyle welcomes plans for new schools
MEMBERS of Derry City and Strabane District Council’s Planning Committee have given their approval for the construction of two new schools in the Council area when they met at the Guildhall.
Approval was given for the construction of the new Our Lady of Fatima single-storey 6 class based Primary School and associated accommodation and external play areas in Tamnaherin.
The proposal is to combine and replace the current existing provisions of Mullabuoy and Listress Primary Schools and will be located on lands immediately adjacent to and North of St Mary’s Slaughtmanus GAC, Ervey Road, Tamnaherin.
Members were informed at the meeting that the proposed new primary school will accommodate up to 175 school pupils with 7 teaching staff and 10 ancillary staff and the development will also provide external play areas and parking.
Approval was also granted by members for the development of a new school for Strabane Academy.
Members at the meeting were provided details of the proposal which includes the provision of playing pitches, courts, floodlighting along with additional landscaping and car parking and associated site works.
Strabane Academy currently comprises a Junior School on the Derry Road and the Senior School at Liskey Road.
The new school will be located on the existing Derry Road campus and this application will facilitate amalgamation onto one campus of both schools catering for 700 pupils and 70 staff.
Members were informed that the existing school on site will remain operational until completion of the new school; the construction works will be completed in phases for operational reasons.
The existing building will be demolished once the new school building is complete and the Liskey road site will close.
Welcoming the decisions, the chair of the Planning Committee, Cllr John Boyle said this was excellent news for the education sector and would be welcomed by families in both rural Co Derry and Strabane.
“The Council’s Planning Committee is very pleased to give the green light for these two hugely significant investment education projects in our Council area.
“The provision of these two new schools in Tamnaherin and Strabane is welcome news for the local communities,” he said.
