Plans for 1,000-student secondary school in Kildare appealed to An Bord Pleanála

The project entails the phased construction of a new two-storey, 37 classroom post primary school, for Curragh Community College, with a total floor area of 10,883.8 sqm.

The site address is the former Magee Barracks, Kildare town. Applicant, the Minister for Education, lodged the plans with Kildare County Council on October 24, 2023.

The council granted planning permission for the project on October 9 this year, and this decision was subsequently appealed to An Bord Pleanála on October 31, by Keith McGannon, and Stephen and Lisa O'Sullivan.

Curragh Community College would include an external bin store, electricity substation, external caretakers office, storage shed, heat pump enclosure, car parking, drop off, bicycle parking, and a grass playing pitch, to be shared with the adjoining Kildare Town Educate Together and Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha.

There would be external ballcourts, including additional ballcourts in the grounds of Kildare Town Educate Together and Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, photovoltaic panels on the roof, and a 135m length of access road from Melitta Road. Provision is made for a service road connection off the existing access road to the south east of the site.

Phase one would include the construction of a 4,982sqm, two-storey school accommodation incorporating photovoltaic panels on the roof, 16 classrooms, specialist classrooms, sports changing rooms, a fitness suite, temporary staffroom and GP Hall dining space, this to be converted to specialist classrooms in phase two.

Phase one also includes a temporary permission for an interim school entrance on the south façade, a temporary drop off and car parking area, and temporary school vehicular and pedestrian access off the existing access road to the south east.

Phase two would include the completion of a 5,901.8 sqm two-storey school accommodation incorporating 21 classrooms, specialist classrooms, a general purpose hall, a PE hall, a special needs unit, library, staff room and all ancillary accommodation.

Phase two also includes 92 car parking spaces, additional bicycle parking, an SEN garden, a drop off, a grass pitch area, three additional ballcourts plus hard and soft landscaping to replace the temporary (phase one) drop off and car parking to the south, an adjustment of existing ballcourts and two additional ballcourts for Kildare Town Educate Together.

There is to be an adjustment to existing car parking and one additional ballcourt for Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, a service access off the existing access road to the south east along with a 135m length of access road from Melitta Road.

Local resident Keith McGannon objected to the plans, saying that while he "totally" understood the need for another post primary school in the town, he did have some "major concerns."

These concerns relate to "the amount of traffic this will bring to the entrance of the estate, with the new road that is been planned to go there."

"There is already a number of parents that park outside my property as a set down area for pick up and drop offs from the two primary schools. Which makes it very difficult to enter or exit my property.

"Putting another school behind our house is only going to escalate this situation with another very busy road going through the main entrance of the estate.

"The school is for 1,000 pupils and an estimated 70-80pc arriving, (and) leaving by car. This will make exiting the estate dreadful. The traffic can be extremely congested during school starting and leaving times, and the added school traffic will make this worse.

"We will not be able to enjoy living in our home with the stress this is going to cause us at the busiest times of our day."

Additionally, "during construction this will cause noise and dust and likely affect access to my property on a daily basis until construction is completed." Other concerns relate to loss of privacy.

A report prepared by Simon J Kelly Architects for the applicant, stated that the proposed Curragh Community College (CCC) project is of "significant and specific importance to the Department of Education, given the urgent requirement for this school to serve the Kildare, Newbridge and Curragh school planning areas."

Demographic studies show that there is a "dire requirement" for additional post primary school spaces within this area, and these must be provided "in the very short term."

"This proposed development is seen as a critical part of the solution to the current shortage of post primary school place in the area.

"We further note the development of this land is to be in conjunction with the existing Minister owned lands, including the Kildare Town Educate Together School and Gaelscoil Mhic Aodha, as a three-school campus to enable the enhanced provision of shared outdoor amenities across all three schools such as a shared playing pitch."

Curragh Community College (CCC) previously known as Curragh Post Primary School was established in 1933, initially to educate the children of the members of the defence forces.

The school is currently located in the Curragh Army Camp which is property belonging to the Department of Defence. The current school location is "no longer fit for purpose and does not have the capacity to expand at this location or deal with the growing demand and numbers in the area."

"Currently other schools in the wider area do not have capacity to pick up the growing demand therefore it is critical that future capacity issues are addressed as a matter of urgency," added the architect's report.

The An Bord Pleanála case is due to be decided by March 14, 2025.