Planning application ready for new shared education campus in Navan
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A CGI of the new 16-classroom school for Ard Rí CNS which has been in temporary accommodation at Navan Rugby Club since it opened in 2010.Image 2 of 5
A computer generated image of the new school building for Ard Rí CNS which will share a campus with St Ultan’s Special School at Baker Hall, off Academy Street in Navan.Image 3 of 5
A computer generated image showing the entire campus which will accommodate both St Ultan’s Special School and Ard Rí CNS.Image 4 of 5
A computer generated image of the new school for St Ultan’s Special School at Baker Hall.Image 5 of 5
The state-of-the-art new school that will be constructed for St Ultan’s Special School at the new education campus at Baker Hall, Navan.Plans for two new school buildings on a shared campus at Baker Hall in Navan to accommodate Ard Rí Community National School and St Ultan's Special School have taken a major leap forward with the lodging of a planning application.
Fourteen years after it opened its doors in temporary accommodation in Navan Rugby Club, Ard Rí CNS is looking forward to finally having its own purpose built new 16-classroom school, while St Ultan's Special School has long since outgrown it current accommodation on Flower Hill.
Now the project is progressing to planning application stage with LMETB ready to submit plans for the multi-million euro campus located off Academy Street on the Baker Hall lands. As well as the new school buildings it will also have shared sporting facilities.
Permission is sought for the construction of a split level building- part single storey and part three storey school- for Ard Rí CNS made up of teaching spaces, ancillary spaces, PE hall facility, special education needs unit, general purpose hall, social areas, library, administration areas, toilet and changing facilities, with a total internal area of 3,591 sqm
The plans also include the construction of a two-storey building for St Ultan's Special School also comprising of teaching spaces, ancillary spaces, PE hall facility, special education needs suite, general purpose hall, social areas, library, administration areas, toilet and changing facilities with a total internal area of 4,359sqm.
Sinead Murphy Asst Principal Officer, Land and Buildings Unit, LMETB described the lodging of the planning applicaiton as a “major milestone” in the project.
“The Design Team have been working very closely with the two schools to ensure that the finished plans will meet the needs of all the students. I am extremely happy with the design of both schools, they look amazing. We look forward to the project moving forward to the next stage,” she added.
Ard Rí CNS was Meath VEC's (now LMETB) first national school project and opened in temporary accommodation with just seven children in junior infants at Navan Rugby Club in September 2010, growing steadily over of the years to an enrolment of over 300.
Principal Darragh Roe said: “All the team is delighted to be at this stage of the process. Mr Martin G O'Brien CE, and Ms Sinéad Murphy APO of Land and Building Section at LMETB along with our architects MCOH have designed an ambitious project here. It's such high spec throughout and they have made the most out of every inch of the site.
“Ms Jean Cunningham of St Ultan's and I have been involved every step of the way. It will have a lovely campus feel to it with both schools working together side by side. We really look forward to turning the sod in the very near future.”
St Ultan's, which was founded in the 1960s provides young people with a mild disability the opportunity to enjoy a fully rounded primary and secondary education and is currently located on Flower Hill.
Principal Jean Cunningham also welcomed the progress saying: “We are delighted to hear the wonderful news that the planning application is being launched.
“We look forward to a successful outcome and the commencement of the new build which will serve our students from all parts of the county”.