'Wholly inappropriate' for school

THE considerable spatial needs of a modern primary school of this size should not be shoe-horned into a wholly inappropriate small listed building on an urban site that is also too small.”

This is one of the observations made by a Castlebar couple, Margaret and James Keane, in a lengthy submission to Mayo County Council on a planning application by the Minister for Education and Skills for change of use of Marsh House to a four-classroom school.

It is hoped to open the non-denoninational Educate Together facility at Marsh House, a listed building at Newtown, in late August.

A decision by the planning authority is expected around August 1. Two objections to the change of use of the building, a protected structure, were lodged with the planning office by the closing date for submissions last week.

One of the submissions came from Margaret and James Keane, who live in a residential property on the west side of Marsh House. The other was made by Councillor Frank Durcan.

These are some of the points raised by the Keanes:

• The school would be poorly sited as Marsh House was built in the last century to function as a small residential building.

• The proposal is in contravention of the development plan. Inadequate public consultation has taken place on the matter.

• The site is ideal for other town centre uses such as a small local museum or a tourist office.

• If this application was granted it would deny these other uses for this unique site and deny the public continued amenity and use of an important pubic building.

• The change of use will expose protected heritage features – such as the fine stairway and stained glass window – due to increased risk of damage because of the high volume of foot traffic of over 100 pupils, teachers and visitors.

• The change of use is for a four-classoom facility. It fails to provide for a full stream eight classroom configuration which will mean pupils will not have continuity of location throughout their primary education.

The Keanes, in their submission, also raise the issue of obstruction and considerable traffic with no space, no turning circles, no set down pick up area, no traffic control measures, and no covered waiting area. They say the proposal for pupil access from Dunnes carpark is ‘problematic, inconvenient and unsafe’,” adding: “Some parents dropping off children, especially in bad weather, will not follow procedures and the school has no enforcement role in this regard.”

An (eventual) enrolment of about 108 young children and a play area would be situated only three metres from the busy Newtown (R311) road.

The Keanes also note it is proposed to site the children’s play area in close proximity to the Castlebar river, a public walkway and a cycle way, and with no significant play area.

They say fencing in and provision of rubberised matting will not only adversely affect public access amenity but would also clash visually with the formal character of the building’s facade and stone wall.

They also raise the question of noise and disturbance to neighbouring residents and, if the proposal was granted, it would lead to overcrowding and reduced nett amenity for all.

Councillor Frank Durcan has objected on a number of grounds.

He is asking that the application be judged null and void because the two public notices on Marsh House ‘do not specify the name of the planning authority to which the application was lodged’.

He also says the notices do not specify where the application could be inspected.

Councillor Durcan also says he takes it as a reserved function of the members of Castlebar Municipal Council to consider the change of use of a listed protected building prior to the executive granting planning permission.

*The council has agreed to lease the building to Educate Together for a school.