Residents say Educate Together school will cause ‘traffic hazard’

RESIDENTS of Ballycullen Green have lodged an appeal against South Dublin County Council’s decision to grant permission for the construction of a temporary secondary school on the Old Court Road/Ballycullen Green.

As previously reported in The Echo, the temporary two-storey structure is to house Firhouse Educate Together Secondary School.

Since opening in 2018, the secondary school – which has no permanent accommodation – has been housed across two primary schools in the area: Firhouse Educate Together and Gaelscoil na Giuise.

For the upcoming academic year, the school will be located in temporary accommodation in the grounds of Firhouse Community College.

In May 2020, the Department of Education announced the acquisition of a 4.45-acre site for the school on the Old Court Road, where the school is to be permanently located.

However, ahead of the permanent school building project for Firhouse ETSS, which is being delivered under the Department’s Design and Build Programme, permission was recently sought for temporary accommodation at the Old Court Road site.

The Minister for Education lodged the planning application for the temporary structure, comprising 10 classrooms and three specialist classrooms including all ancillary teacher and pupil facilities, last May.

Also included in the plans is the provision of an internal vehicular drop-off area and internal circulation routes, 15 surface-parking spaces, bicycle parking, ball courts and play areas.

The plans for the temporary structure received the green light from the council on July 20, however this decision has now been appealed by the Ballycullen Green Residents’ Assocation.

Local Fianna Fáil councillor Emma Murphy previously told The Echo that Ballycullen Green residents were concerned about pedestrian access to the school being provided through the estate, and the impact the development could have on traffic in the locality.

In their appeal, the residents’ association stated that the development would result in a “traffic hazard”, cause issues with traffic congestion, and would cause “serious injury to residential amenity”.

They requested that, if An Bord Pleanála decides to uphold the council’s decision, a condition should require “the omission of the two pedestrian entrances in the Ballycullen Green public open space and alternative pedestrian access be provided from the adjoining playing pitch”.

A decision on the appeal has not yet been made by An Bord Pleanála.