ALMOST 15 years after a site was acquired for a new campus for one of Fermanagh’s biggest schools, work is finally to get underway on the new school on Enniskillen’s Tempo Road.
“Construction of the £21.5 million new build for Devenish College is set to begin in “the next few weeks”, school principal Simon Mowbray confirmed yesterday.
“Contracts will be exchanged this week with construction beginning on-site within two weeks,” he said.
It is understood that Glasgiven Contracts, a County Down based firm, has been awarded the contract by the Education Authority to build the new school on the Tempo Road site.
The school projects an enrolment figure of 600 for September 2019, representing further growth in pupil numbers.
Mr Mowbray said, “121 pupils will be joining us into Year 8 in September 2019 and we are delighted that these pupils will be some of the first to occupy our new school.
“It really is something the students and staff richly deserve.”
The new build which is 10,500 square metres will accommodate 800 pupils and has been designed by architects Isherwood and Ellis.
The progress comes almost fifteen years after the site was acquired by the Western Education and Library Board in 2004.
Since then two amalgamations have taken place bringing additional pupils to the Enniskillen site. The Duke of Westminster High School in Kesh amalgamated in 2005 and in 2013 a further amalgamation took place as Lisnaskea High School joined Devenish College.
Councillor Alex Baird, chairman of the Board of Governors for the school said, “From a personal point of view I am delighted.
This has been a long journey but thankfully we are fast approaching the end, and will end up with a 21st century, fit for purpose school for the non-selective controlled pupils of the Fermanagh area.”
It is understood the multi-million pound new build will include: 38 classrooms, 6 science labs, 3 design and technology workshops, 2 home economics labs, 3 art rooms, a music suite, 8 ICT suites, a library and further supporting educational facilities.
Sports accommodation will consist of a 4 court sports hall, fitness suite, 5 multi-use tennis courts, grass football and rugby pitches and a floodlit synthetic playing surface.
A spokesman for the Education Authority said, “EA has progressed the appointment of a contractor to advance the new build school for Devenish College. This appointment is now in its final stages.
“The contractor is projected to be on site June 2019; with an estimated completion date of November 2021.”
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