Go-ahead for 84 school projects
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http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/-/1/hi/northern_ireland/6476909.stm Version 0 of 1. Planned building work at 84 schools in Northern Ireland will proceed, the education minister has said. The projects, worth £580m, had been under assessment in light of the Bain Review in December 2006. Maria Eagle said eight projects with enrolment issues did not justify money at this time, but said she did not rule out future building work. A further six projects are temporarily on hold, but further assessments will take place within the next two months. The review considered the enrolments at the schools, the trends and the school provision in the area. Ms Eagle said: "The Bain Review, which government has fully accepted, made detailed recommendations for better planning of the schools' estate in the context of falling enrolments. "It recommended that previously announced capital projects currently underway should be reviewed according to their stage of development for their consistency with the area-based approach. Education Minister Maria Eagle made the announcement "It was important to consider the sizes of the projects. This is why I instigated a review of the building projects currently in planning." She said government was committed, through the Investment Strategy for Northern Ireland, to substantial investment in school buildings over the next decade. "It is imperative that this money is used to best effect so that every child in Northern Ireland has the opportunity to learn in a modern environment," she said. Following the publication of the Bain Review on 4 December 2006 the education minister announced that previously announced capital projects currently in planning were to be reviewed for their consistency with the direction set out in the Bain report. A total of 98 major capital schemes which were in planning were included in the review. These included schemes that had not reached tender approval stage and Public Private Partnership schemes prior to the bidder stage. Listed here are the primary schools schemes which will not proceed: <ul class="bulletList"><li>Suffolk PS, Belfast (enrolment: 51): the small urban school was deemed to have falling enrolments and sufficient other school capacity in the wider area.</li><li>Rosetta PS, Belfast (enrolment: 145): there were declining enrolments and it was felt primary provision in the area had to be examined.</li><li>St MacNisius PS, Tanaghmore (enrolment: 73): concern over enrolments was raising the issue of longer term viability. </li><li>Moneydarragh PS (enrolment: 90): overall primary provision in the area is to be reviewed with concerns over longer term sustainability of enrolments.</li><li>St Joseph's PS, Ballymartin (enrolment: 103): longer term enrolments sustainability is a cause for concern, and primary provision in the area is to be reviewed.</li><li>St Eugene's PS, Derry (enrolment: 201): maintained primary provision in this area of the city is being reviewed.</li></ul> Two post-primary schemes will not proceed: <ul class="bulletList"><li>Orangefield HS, Belfast (enrolment: 302): Significant decreases in enrolments over the past few years.</li><li>Dominican College, Portstewart (enrolment: 483): The scheme is for the replacement of a sports hall only. However, a study is considering provision for the entire school and the sports hall scheme should thus not proceed.</li></ul> Schemes currently on hold: <ul class="bulletList"><li>Coleraine College (enrolment: 469, including 28 post-16s)</li><li>The High School, Ballynahinch (enrolment: 384)</li><li>Priory Integrated College, Holywood (enrolment: 421, including 37 post-16s)</li><li>Dean Maguirc College, Carrickmore (enrolment: 452, including 45 post-16s)</li><li>Strabane Grammar School (enrolment: 394, including 108 post-16s - decision due shortly on whether to amalgamate with Strabane High School)</li><li>Erne Special School, Enniskillen (enrolment: 105)</li></ul> |