A long and tenuous 16 year battle for a new school building took a giant leap forward last week after planning permission for the new Loreto Secondary School was approved at a green field site in Killeens, on the outskirts of Wexford town.
Speaking to The Echo last week Principal Billy O’Shea described the good news as a “big development not just for the school, but for all of Wexford.”
The Board of Management at the school first began to push for a new building in 1998, but faced a number of knock backs along the way.
It was originally envisaged that the current premises on Spawell Road would be modernised and developed. However, in May 2007 this proposal was rejected and the task of securing an entirely new site was embarked upon.
The ten-acre site adjacent to the Pembroke Hill roundabout was subsequently deemed the preferred option.
Mr O’Shea noted: “It has been a very long, difficult and at times immensely frustrating process, but we could not be happier with what is now on offer to us.”
He added that the road infrastructure in the area is adequately developed to cope with the increased traffic volumes that will come with the opening of the new school.
The planning application was lodged with Wexford County Council five weeks ago and during that time the Principal recalled that he was “absolutely terrified” that they might be met with the same bitter disappointment as in 2007.
“It’s a very public transparent process and we were absolutely delighted when not one single objection was made,” said Mr O’Shea, noting that the proposed development is clearly welcomed by the local community.
Securing planning permission marks the crossing of a major hurdle and now the process is expected to forge ahead efficiently.
At this point the National Development Finance Agency will take over the management of the build, which is expected to go to tender in the coming months.
When a developer is secured, construction will commence next summer. The entire project is expected to take approximately 18 months.
“Once everyone is ready to start the building itself will move quite quickly, because it is a green field site there are no complications.”
The proposed date for completion is spring 2016.
This means that those students who are now going into third year will be in the new school for their final year and all those students who are in younger classes will also spend a portion of their second level education at the new building.
The existing school will remain in the ownership of the Loreto Trust Board. As of yet it has not outlined any plans for the building after the school has vacated.
Currently, the students are embarking on a project to capture the history of the building, which in 2016 will celebrate its centenary.