What defines building preservation?

Brian Donaldson • Published 1 Oct 2009 12:18 0 Comments

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Just what would Prince Charles make of it? Enniskillen Model Primary School is a building evident of mass concrete several levels high with what has been described as the most inefficient heating systems in modern day living.

But the Northern Ireland Environment Agency says it is worth preserving as a "strongly modelled and expressively treated educational building" which stood out from the general mass of more conventional school buildings of the post-war period.

The result is total disappointment for the school authorities and many families involved as they were eagerly awaiting the beginning of construction of the new replacement school sometime this year.

The plans were to build the new school in the existing school yard and once it was occupied, demolish the old school to make way for a new playground and car parking. The multi-million pound project had already been given the green light by the Department of Education and the Western Education and Library Board designs were awaiting final planning approval when this unexpected snag occurred.

But it also sets one government department against another. One is saying the current facilities are totally inadequate for the welfare of children and in many ways does not meet certain guidelines and another is saying, the character and design of this school which has only been built 35 years ago, is worth preserving.

The costs of getting this project to this stage is already mounting up yet further delay in replacing the school is costing the Western Board heavily in terms of wasted heating and problems educating children. This is not about a small rural school with dwindling rolls. It is about a fast growing large town school bursting at the seams with nowhere to go now.

Education is already in a complete mess with the transfer procedure issue, the future of post-primary schools in Fermanagh and now the worry and anguish on families and school authorities over this controversial proposal concerning one of the county's largest primary schools.

So many hopes and expectations have now been dashed by the opinion of a small and select group of people whose views are considered to be totally against popular public opinion.

This article appeared in Impartial Reporter 01 Oct 09

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