Appeal is lodged against extension to Ballygarrett NS

AN appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala regarding the construction of one additional classroom at Ballygarrett National School.

Niall Madden on behalf of the Board of Management at St Mary’s National School, Ballygarrett had been granted permission by Wexford County Council for the construction of an extension to the school consisting of one additional classroom with associated accommodation and site works.

Senior executive planner James Lavin said the proposed classroom is located to the rear of the existing single storey school.

One submission was received in respect of the application which came from Leo Bermingham, Drumcondra, Dublin.

In it he wrote that the proposed classroom will negatively impact on his residential amenity and devalue his property. He said it impinges on his boundary and will also negatively impact on surface water.

Mr Lavin said that proposed classroom would be position 2m from the north east boundary of the school which backs onto the rear garden of an adjoining dwelling. He said that windows overlooking the property are in a storeroom and two bathrooms and should be opaque. However he said that ‘given the nature of the use of these rooms it is not considered that they will result in any undue overlooking’.

Nor he said was there any risk of overshadowing.

‘On balance the proposed classroom will not impact negatively on residential amenity above the existing use subject to some minor mitigation measures such as additional boundary screening to the northeast boundary and the use of opaque glass in the north east facing windows.’

The application was granted subject to certain conditions including: preventing any surface water from discharging onto the public roads and maintaining the existing waste water treatment system.

However an appeal against the decision has been lodged with An Bord Pleanala by Mr Bermingham. A decision is expected by June 12.