The new Devenish College site along the Tempo Road RMG191
CONSTRUCTION on the new Devenish College, first promised over 10 years ago, has been delayed yet again.
The Fermanagh Herald can reveal that the project has been put back within the past month, with the new construction date now March 2019. The previous completion date had been set as November 2018.
The school, which is expected to cost in the region of £23million, has been a long time coming for the staff, parents and pupils who were first promised a new build ten years ago.
Currently Deane Public Works are carrying out work such as culverting a river at the bottom of the site field and the removal of the drumlin on the Tempo Road. This work was meant to begin in March but was delayed due to an issue with planning and protecting wildlife habitats on the site, particularly fish in the river which runs through the site. Any issues have now been rectified and work on this phase is to be completed by January 15, 2016.
The most recent delay came to light in Stormont last week as Minister of Education John O’Dowd responded to a question from local MLA Neil Sommerville asking for an update on construction.
The Minister confirmed that Isherwood and Ellis have been appointed as the design team for the project and that officers from the Education Authority held a first briefing meeting with them on Wednesday October 2015 to take forward the development of a design for the new school.
Crucially Mr O’Dowd states: “It is currently planned for the new build to be on site in November 2017 with completion estimated for March 2019.”
An Education Authority spokesman confirmed: “The most up-to-date timescale for the new build for Devenish College is for the project to be on site in November 2017 with completion estimated in March 2019.”
Chairman of Devenish College Board of Governors Alex Baird admitted he was not aware that the project had been delayed again and said the date those at the school had been working to was November 2018.
“From my point of view in terms of the occupancy of the school, it’s important that it’s within the school year 18/19. It’s unfortunate if there is delay, but unfortunately in projects there can be delays.”
Mr Baird dismissed any fears that the new build will never come to fruition and said he was “100%” confident the new school would be completed on the Tempo Road site.
“I’m satisfied the project will go ahead. It’s unfortunate there has been this slippage, but I would hope that slippage could be made up.”
Despite the possible logistical problems with pupils moving to a new school midway through a term with important GCSE and A-level examinations the chairman has stated that as soon as the new school is ready pupils will move across.
“The school will be occupied as soon as it is ready and it would be my hope, and I would certainly be putting pressure to ensure that during the construction that time can be made up. November 18, March 19 is a fair bit away. I would hope some time would be made up. I don’t read anything into it.”
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