Brakes put on proposed new secondary school building in Douglas following appeal

The brakes have been put on the development of Cork Educate Together Secondary School’s new school in Douglas, following an appeal lodged with An Bord Pleanála (ABP).

Last month, Cork City Council granted conditional planning permission to the Department of Education for the development of a new 600-pupil school at a 4.08-hectare site at Carrigaline Road, Ardarrig, Douglas.

The greenfield site is located on a steep hillside to the south of Douglas village and is bounded to the east and south by the Maryborough Woods housing development.

The plans for the site include the provision of a two-classroom Special Educational Needs unit, a PE/multi-purpose hall and teacher and pupil facilities.

The plans also include the provision of a new vehicular, cycle and pedestrian access to the site, proposed to the west of the school, via Carrigaline Rd.

In addition, cycle and pedestrian access to the site is proposed to the north of the school, via Carrigaline Rd, with standalone pedestrian access also proposed to the west of the school via the Carrigaline Rd.

The planning application also sought permission for new pedestrian and cycle access with occasional fire tender and delivery access at The Dales, as well as the provision of two set down areas at Maryborough Woods Rd.

Around 80 submissions were made to Cork City Council with some concerns expressed including concerns that the development would pose a serious traffic hazard.

However, the local authority decided to grant permission to the proposed development, subject to 37 conditions.

Cork Educate Together Secondary School (CETSS) opened in 2016, but it has been in temporary accommodation ever since.

A section of Griffith College on Wellington Rd is currently used to accommodate the school.

A similar planning application for the development of a new school at the Douglas site was refused planning in 2018 by Cork County Council when the area was under the county council’s jurisdiction.

That decision was later upheld by ABP.

Appeal reasons 

The latest application has now hit a stumbling block after a third-party appeal was lodged by residents living in Maryborough Woods.

In the appeal document, planning consultants acting on behalf of the appellants, said they are concerned that the development would have a negative impact “on the safety, amenity and everyday experience of the residents of Maryborough Woods, the residents who live in close proximity to the proposed access to the site at The Dales and the road users within the estate”.

They claim that the development would “endanger public safety by reason of traffic hazard as the site is located adjoining a heavy traffic road where the cross-traffic movements likely to be generated by the proposed set down areas and proposed one way system would interfere with the safety of the free flow traffic on the road”.

The appeal document continues to argue that the proposed pedestrian, cycle and fire tender access through The Dales would “pose a danger to both pedestrians and cyclists” in a “confined area where there is no separation from residential vehicular parking and movements”.

Also among the concerns highlighted is a belief that the road network in the area including within Maryborough Woods is “inadequate to cater satisfactorily for extra traffic movements likely to be generated by the proposed development as approved”.

CETSS principal Colm O’Connor told The Echo that the school community is “simultaneously relieved and disappointed at the news that a single appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála”.

“Naturally, we are very disappointed that full planning could not be granted at this time, as it means a further delay for 380 families, whose children are currently commuting to school and being educated in limited temporary accommodation.

“Nevertheless, there are far fewer appeals than we had expected, which seems to suggest that some, if not all of the concerns were addressed in the planning conditions,” he said.

“The [school] community has already been waiting seven years for a much-needed building.

“The situation is deeply unfair and so we request that the An Bord Pleanála examines this single appeal as soon possible.

“We hope and believe that planning will be granted at An Bord Pleanála once they do.” 

ABP is expected to make a decision on the case by September 20.