Schools get £173 million for new builds

Also getting good news were Belmont Special School and Rossmar Special School, Limavady.

The Co Londonderry schools will get sizeable slices of the £173 million investment in the schools estate, announced by Education Minister, John O’Dowd.

“Since taking on the role of Minister for Education I have visited schools in each and every sector of education provision. The common factor across the estate has been the clear need for considerable investment in infrastructure.

“The need for investment far exceeds the funding available. While I would like to be in a position to fund everything that needs doing now, I must work within the budget available. This means difficult decisions on future investment plans.

“The area planning process currently being undertaken will determine the future pattern of provision in each area. It is estimated that it will be the final quarter of the current financial year, however, before the first plans are formally adopted. It is clear, therefore, that decisions are needed now to influence capital expenditure in the next two financial years, therefore I have decided to move forward immediately with 13 new school builds in the primary and post-primary sectors.

“These schools come from right across the north and were identified as the highest priority projects following a rigorous selection process.

“Furthermore, I am particularly aware of the need to ensure we support the most vulnerable in our education system.

“No-one visiting our special schools could remain unmoved by the needs of the children attending these facilities. I would dearly like to be able to advance every deserving case immediately. However, within the limits of the funding available to me, I am determined that we make progress with a number of cases at this time.

“I am, therefore, today announcing that the process for building three special schools will be advanced. In addition, I can announce that the preferred option for the former Balmoral High School Facility is that St. Gerard’s Resource Centre in West Belfast will be the long-term tenant. Furthermore, Arvalee Special School in Omagh will be taken forward as part of the Lisanelly Campus project.

“This will be good news for the pupils and communities directly affected. A world-class educational environment will help us deliver the improvements in educational outcomes we are working so hard to achieve.”

In addition to plans for St Gerard’s Resource Centre and Arvalee Special School, the list of projects to proceed is as follows:

Coláiste Feirste, Belfast, £11.9 million

St Clare’s Convent & St Colman’s Abbey Primary School, Newry, £6 million

St Joseph’s Convent Primary School, Newry, £5.8 million

Dromore Central Primary School, £11.4 million

Eglinton Primary School, £2.5 million

Tannaghmore Primary School, Lurgan, £6 million

Ebrington Controlled Primary School, Londonderry, £4.5 million

Foyle College, Londonderry, £19.6 million

St Teresa’s Primary School, Lurgan, £3million

Victoria Park Primary School, Belfast, £4.9 million

Enniskillen Model Primary School, £5.7 million

St Mary’s Primary School, Banbridge, £5.1 million

Bunscoil Bheann Mhadagáin, Belfast, £2.5 million

Belmont House Special School, Londonderry, £7.4 million

Rossmar Special School, Limavady, £6.4 million

Castletower, Ballymena, £21.8 million

Alongside the immediate commencement of these new builds, Mr O’Dowd announced funding to progress a number of additional projects through the planning process. This will enable projects to reach a stage of planning that will allow building work to commence more quickly when future funding becomes available. In the autumn the Minister will unveil a further list of projects to be taken forward.

The Minister also announced the establishment of a new Schools Enhancement Programme. This programme will make available funding of up to £4million for any individual project which is aimed at refurbishing or extending existing schools. Priority will be given to projects aimed at supporting amalgamation or rationalisation. Initially up to £20 million will be available for this programme in 2013-14 with the option of increasing this in 2014-15 depending on the number and quality of proposals.

In conclusion, the Minister said: “This is a pragmatic approach to ensuring that the capital funding available can be used most effectively. I want to stress that today’s announcement in no way implies that other projects will not be considered at a later stage.

“I realise that for every school announced as progressing at this time there are many more which need investment. The budget settlement the Executive was presented with has limited the funding I have available and has prevented me from progressing all the schemes I would have liked.

“For those schools not announced at this time, however, the new enhancement programme offers an opportunity to add to and improve existing facilities. This may prove a more accessible option.

“I have taken clear and decisive action to ensure that we effectively use the capital available in the next number of years and ensure we can maximise the benefits for children across the north.”