Environmental Group express concerns over school proposal

A LOCAL environmental group has expressed concerns about the impact of a proposed school development in Rathcoole in close proximity to four protected woodland habitats.

The proposal for the new Rathcoole Educate Together National School (ETNS) building includes the construction of a three-storey, 20- classroom school on Coolamber Drive.

While the development of the new school is a welcome proposal for some in the community, for the Four Districts Woodland Group, it could potentially pose an environmental risk.

Deirdre Tierney, the chairperson of the group, told The Echo: “The key concern is that we have four protected habitats, and three of them are associated with water.

“You have a whole mosaic of protected habitats there.

“Our concern is that any development that runs alongside the habitats has the potential to cause long-term, permanent damage.

“The current application has a public access road in council lands further north from the woodlands, and it will go right through ecologically-sensitive land that has been rewilded.

“What’s being proposed will effectively cut right through and split the woodland off from Rathcoole Park.”

On Sunday afternoon, the group collected 62 signatures supporting their submission on the planning application, highlighting their environmental concerns about the plans, which was submitted this week.

For the pupils and parents of Rathcoole ETNS, however, the proposal represents a positive step as the school is quickly outgrowing its temporary accommodation in Citywest, where it has been since 2020.

“Rathcoole Educate Together National School needs a permanent site,” agreed Ms Tierney.

“They need a new building, and it’s up to the council and the Department of Education to find the site for that permanent building.

“But, given the environmental and climate crisis, why are they putting it into an environmentally-sensitive area?

“This is not about for or against a school, it’s about proper planning, proper environmental consideration and doing the right thing in the right place.”

A spokesperson for the Department of Education told The Echo: “All due considerations and appropriate reports have been prepared to support the planning application in conjunction with and as requested by the Local Authority during the pre-planning consultation process.

“While the subject site is adjacent to some habitats of interest, a number of measures are proposed in relation to this, including the retention of existing hedgerows and vegetation as detailed in the planning documents.

“In addition to the appropriate assessment screening report, the plans were informed by an ecological impact assessment, an arboricultural impact assessment and an invasive species survey to assist in integrating the scheme into the surrounding woodland context and to enhance biodiversity on site.”

A decision on the planning application for the new Rathcoole ETNS building, which was submitted last December, is due from South Dublin County Council by February 22.