‘Formal response’ to school’s plan

The school submitted the development proposal, which seeks to increase the pupil numbers from 500 to 660, to the education body earlier this month.

The plan, which is currently out to public consultation, has already attracted criticism from Carrick’s controlled sector.

In a statement, a Board spokesperson said: “The North Eastern Education and Library Board has noted the publication of a development proposal for an increase to the size of Ulidia Integrated College, Carrickfergus and will respond formally to the Department of Education in respect to the proposal.”

Referring to their area plan published in June 2013, which makes provision for the future development of Downshire School, Carrickfergus College, and Carrickfergus Grammar as well as Ulidia, the spokesperson added: “As the body responsible for Area Planning of school provision in its area, the Board recognises the need for proposals covering the range of provision in an area to come forward together and acknowledges the difficulty of an individual school proposal being presented for consideration by the Minister of Education in the absence of proposals for all the provision in an area.”

A meeting between Carrickfergus Borough Council and the principals of the post-primary schools in the borough is expected to take place next week, according to local councillor and NEELB member Alderman Jim Brown. “As an education and library board we are responsible for all schools, not just the integrated sector,” he added.

“An area plan has already been drawn up for the area and we know there are a surplus of spaces within the controlled sector.”