Environment Minister clears way for new replacement school

Chris Donegan • Published 5 Aug 2010 16:30 0 Comments

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Edwin Poots, (right), Environment Minister, looking over the plans for the new Model School with Peter Little, Chairman of the Board of Governors as Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister Arlene Foster relives her schooldays.<<

The final obstacle to plans to build a new Enniskillen Model Primary School was removed yesterday (Wednesday).

On a visit to the site Environment Minister Edwin Poots announced that his NIEA (Northern Ireland Environment Agency) has decided not to "list" the existing building on the basis of its architectural importance.

If the grey concrete structure had been "listed" it could not have been demolished to make way for the new school.

Peter Little, Chairman of the Model's Board of Governors, said: "The problem with it was that if they had listed the current Model School it would have completely scuppered our plans to build a new school on that site."

He said the school was "very, very pleased" at the decision and would now press ahead with plans to build the new Model as soon as possible.

"The consequence of the decision not to list, is that there now shouldn't be an impediment to the new school being built," he stated.

He pointed out that with 420 pupils enrolled for September the present building is full to capacity.

It is one of the few schools in Fermanagh where with almost 30 children to every class but the rooms are small and conditions cramped and not really conducive to modern education. In addition the building has the unenviable distinction of being the most energy inefficient in the Western Education and Library Board area.

Plans for a new school were already well advanced when the NIEA announced last year that it was considering listing the building and the former Model School House on the opposite side of the playground, fronting the Dublin Road, on the grounds of their architectural importance.

Yesterday Mr. Little said the school was "fairly supportive" of the decision to list the Model School House.

He also expressed his appreciation to the officials from the NIEA for listening to what the school had to say. He said they devoted a lot of time and paid several visits to the site and really would have loved to have preserved what they regarded as an iconic piece of 1970s design, but along with the Minister realised the practicalities of the situation and that the priority had to be the welfare of the children.

The Minister stated: "I am pleased to see a practical view being taken on this case. NIEA considered all options for a solution to be found which reconciled the conflicting demands of heritage protection and appropriate educational provision at a reasonable cost. It was essential that the needs of the children and their education took priority.

"Whilst the interest of preserving architecture is important, the overriding interest is providing a fit for purpose educational facility. I welcome the fact that this obstacle has now been removed," he stated.

"I would like to commend the efforts of the headmaster and staff of the school, its Governors, staff in the Western Education and Library Board and the Department of Education, not forgetting the staff of the NIEA Built Heritage Directorate who worked hard to consider the alternatives to demolition," the Minister added.

Mr. Little said the school had come with its own alternative if the existing building had been listed. The plan would have involved refurbishing and extending the present school and added between £1 million and £2 million to the cost. In the present economic climate the Department of Education had made it abundantly clear it was a non-starter.

As it is the Model is one of only 31 new school building projects that meet the Department's criteria for approval "so we are optimistic that we can move forward and have a new school".

He said they were already 12 months behind as a result of the potential listing and would now be making representations to the Department to try and persuade it to make up for that lost time.

As for when building work might begin.

"I would love to know what the time frame is going to be," said Mr. Little.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 05 Aug 10

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