Planning sought for major extension of Athlone school

Plans for a major two-storey extension of St Mary's National School in Athlone have been lodged with Westmeath County Council.

The application for planning permission, submitted within the last week, proposes the construction of a standalone two-storey classroom building comprising eleven additional mainstream classrooms, a dedicated Special Educational Needs (SEN) unit with two safe-base classrooms and a multi-sensory room, a new school office, nine special education tuition rooms, staff facilities, and associated ancillary accommodation.

The modular structure with over 20 new classrooms will allowa significant increase in the capacity within the school campus, which has buildings on both sides of the Grace Park Road.

The project is designed to facilitate the expansion of the school from its existing 599 pupils to 724, and from 69 current staff to 124.

The proposed location of the building is at the rear of the school's site near the Fair Green, on part of the playing pitch site between the school and St Mary's Church.

Speaking a year ago, when Department of Education approval was received for the detailed design stage and preparation of the planning application, Ailish McManus, the principal of St Mary's NS, said the project was vitally important to the future of the school.

"It's of huge importance to the children, the parents, the teaching staff and our town, because it's a significant investment into our education system in Athlone," she said.

She said the school was delighted to welcome the addition of special educational needs (SEN) classrooms, as there was a huge lack of provision for SEN classes in Athlone.

Documents lodged as part of the recent planning application outline the proposed addition of eleven mainstream classrooms, one home school liaison room, nine special education teaching rooms, two offices, a wc, two special educational need rooms wth quiet space and wc, one sensory room and one staff room

The development will also include a new vehicular and pedestrian entrance from John Paul Park, as well as road and junction upgrades on John Paul Park, fire tender access to the new building, new boundary treatments along the site frontage, and all associated site development and landscaping works above and below ground.

Westmeath County Council is due to make a decision on the planning application by August 26.