Louisburgh school extension gets green light

PleanΡla gives go ahead for Louisburgh school project


Anton McNulty

AN Bord PleanΡla has granted planning permission for the extension and renovation of a Louisburgh Secondary School, despite the local parish priest’s calls for the design to be changed.
Sancta Maria College in Louisburgh was granted planning permission for the construction of a  new extension to the school to include a new main entrance, 12 specialist classrooms, a general purpose room, a staff room, offices, toilets, a physical education hall and ancillary spaces, an external store and a covered yard. The development also included the demolition of part of the existing buildings and the refurbishment of the existing building.
The application was originally granted planning permission by Mayo County Council after the applicant revised the plans to the original drawings. The revision was carried out in response to concerns about the impact of the proposed development, most specifically the sports-hall element, on the amenity of adjoining residential properties.
However, Fr Martin Long, who resides adjacent to the school, subsequently submitted an appeal to An Bord PleanΡla.
Fr Long submitted a number of reasons for the appeal, including that the proposed development will have an adverse impact on ‘residential amenity due to overlooking and overshadowing’. He also argued that the size and scale of the building would have an overbearing effect due to its close proximity to the northern boundary of his residence.
In response to the appeal, Taylor Architects, on behalf of the applicant, stated that the extension was necessary, as the number of students attending was increasing on a year-by-year basis, rendering the existing school accommodation inadequate. They also stated part of the school was unfit for purpose due to dampness and leaks.
Taylor Architects also stated that they had relocated the sports hall, moving it away from the northern boundary in order to mitigate overshadowing.
In addressing some of the issues lodged by Fr Long, the planning inspector Paul Caprani stated he did not believe that the development would have an overbearing impact on the appellant’s site. He also considered the proposed design represented an aesthetic improvement when compared to the current building.
In his conclusions, Mr Caprani deemed the proposed development acceptable in principle. He said it would not adversely impact on surrounding residential amenities to a material extent, and he recommend that planning permission be granted.