Proposed plans for Devenish College, Enniskillen
AFTER years of waiting, construction of the new £23.4 million Devenish College could begin as early as next spring, it has emerged.
School management have received correspondence from the Department of Education that the design of the new school is now fully locked down and the design team, Isherwood and Ellis, will now finalise the final construction drawings which will be used for the official tender process. It is anticipated this will take approximately four months.
A planning application was submitted to Fermanagh and Omagh District Council by Education Authority NI Western Region in May and a decision on this is expected shortly.
The plans for the Devenish College new build include 38 classrooms, six modern science labs, three technology workshops, two home economics labs, two synthetic sports pitches, a grass rugby pitch, five tennis courts, a four-court sports hall, fitness suite and dance studio. There are also plans for four recording studios and eight computer rooms.
Last October the public had a chance to have their say on the plans at a consultation meeting. The 800-pupil build, complete with sport pitches and parking will be based at Lackaghboy and Agharainy on the Tempo Road.
School principal Simon Mowbray says the progress is “fantastic news”.
“In the current financial climate this is fantastic news for our school and the wider community. While this has been a slow and arduous process we are delighted with the quality of the building which has been designed. We anticipate construction to begin in late spring/early summer in 2018.”
Ulster Unionist Education spokesman Rosemary Barton added: “Devenish College has waited over 13 years since it was promised a new build – three schools have amalgamated (Enniskillen, Duke of Westminster and Lisnaskea High Schools) since that commitment was given in 2004.”
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