Warning letter sent to Department of Education regarding work at west Mayo school site

Mayo County Council have issued a 'warning letter' to the Department of Education regarding work which has taken place on the old Scoil Phadraig NS site in Westport.

The warning letter sent under Section 152 of the Planning and Development Acts was sent by the Planning Enforcement Unit of Mayo County Council to the Department of Education on April 3 last.

The council outlined in the letter that the warning was sent in relation to 'alleged unauthorised development' at the former Scoil Phadraig NS located on Altamount Street in Westport.

The letter stated that the 'alleged unauthorised development' consists of 'unauthorised widening of entrance and ancillary works' and 'unauthorised erection of hoarding fence'.

The front of the old Scoil Phadraig National School building on Altamount Street in Westport is currently boarded up with hoardings up to ten feet high and a new vehicular entrance made close to the pedestrian crossing.

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The old Scoil Phadraig building was earmarked for the location of the new Holy Trinity National School but those plans were controversially put on hold when the Department of Education outlined their intention to use the building as 'urgent temporary accommodation' for the Sacred Heart Secondary School in Westport.

The letter by the Planning Enforcement Unit came after the matter was raised at the March meeting of the Westport/Belmullet Municipal District which heard that councillors and residents who had made complaints regarding the work at the former school were told the file in the case had been closed.

Fine Gael councillor Peter Flynn who had made a complaint regarding the works complained that it seemed that the Department of Education were not adhering to planning rules and 'it seems to be facilitated by Mayo County Council'.

At the meeting, Seamus Ó Mongáin, Head of the Municipal District responded by saying the matter was referred to the planning enforcement department of the council who conducted their own investigation into the matter.

It is understood that a new file into the alleged development at the former Scoil Phadraig site has been opened by the Planning Enforcement Unit which prompted the letter to the department.

In the letter, the Department of Education was informed they had four weeks from the date of the service of the warning letter to make any submissions or observations regarding the 'purported offence' to the council.

In a separate matter, a Section 5 Declaration has been sought from Mayo County Council regarding whether the development taking place at the Scoil Phadraig site is deemed development or exempted development.

The application for the Section 5 Declaration which was submitted by Eoin Holmes was in relation to the 'ongoing and proposed further development of site and buildings, including removal and destruction of original windows, wall, gates, railings, exterior finishes'.

The decision on the application is expected to be made by Mayo County Council on May 19.