Full-sized playing pitch sticking point for new Clonburris school

PLANS for a full-sized playing pitch for a new 1,000 pupil post-primary school in Clonburris continue to be a sticking point between South Dublin County Council and the Department of Education, reports Hayden Moore.

The Department of Education is seeking to develop a three-storey, 1000 pupil post primary school and includes a four-classroom Special Educational Needs (SEN) Unit.

When taking in the sports hall and all ancillary teacher and pupil facilities, the new school for Griffeen Community College would have a gross floor area of 11,443sq.m.

Twenty-one vehicular drop-off spaces, 40 car-parking spaces and 540 bicycle-parking spaces are also included in the proposed development, along with hard and soft play areas.

According to the application, excavation works above and below ground are required with the application seeking changes in level.

Proposals also include signage, piped infrastructure and ducting, a plant, PV panels and an ESB substation.

In July 2021, South Dublin County Council requested additional information across 11 different points in relation to the application.

In that, the council requested that the applicant submitted a revised red-line boundary to include a playing pitch – based off the fact that the site was sized to incorporate such a thing.

The Department stated that the playing pitch site is for a future retention pond only and is not included in the red line boundary as such.

However, the local planning authority is of the opinion that both surface water retention and a playing pitch can be provided for on the lands to the north of the subject site.

In response to that request, the Department outlined that is does not support the development of the playing pitch within an attenuation basin due and stated that the pitch would form part of a future planning application.

With this stance, the Department of Education decided not to provide an amended redline drawing.

On January 12, 2022, the council deemed the applicants response to this aspect of the further information request to be “not satisfactory” and again, requested a revised redline site boundary drawing.

As the council requested further information on July 27 originally, the applicant only has until the beginning of February to submit clarification of further information due to planning and development regulations around time periods.

These Griffeen Community College plans are just one of five projects aimed at delivering additional post-primary school capacity in the Lucan area.

Elsewhere in the area, there are projects underway for St Joseph’s College, Lucan Community College, St Kevin’s Community College and Coláiste Cois Life.

At present Griffeen CC continues to operate out of interim accommodation.

This proposed development of the school ties in with the overall masterplan for the Clonburris Strategic Development Zone (SDZ) Planning Scheme – a plan to develop a new sustainable community in the county.

In its entirety, the Clonburris SDZ is expected to deliver a target of 9,416 new homes, community space, retail space and employment space across 12 Development Areas.

The Planning Scheme is being delivered on a phased basis to ensure all necessary supports are put in place, with the 1,000 pupil post-primary school located in Development Area Seven Kishoge North West.

Under the Planning Scheme, which was set out in 2019, this phase identifies the requirement for the delivery of a school site to facilitate the construction and occupation of 1,001 to 2,000 units.