KILDARE: Great news as schools in Naas and Newbridge get green light for multi-million euro expansions

Secondary schools in Newbridge and Naas have been given the green light for multi-million euro redevelopments to expand and modernise their facilities. 

The news will help to allay concerns over a shortage of secondary school places around the two big towns. 

In Newbridge, the Patrician Secondary School on the Naas Road is cleared to construct a three-storey building with 37 general classrooms in a project worth over €14m.

St Mary’s College in Naas has been given planning permission for a phased demolition of existing school buildings and the phased construction of a new two-storey and three-storey school building with 37 general classrooms in a transformation worth €15m, according to the Construction Information Services database. 

According to the planning documents for the Patrician Secondary School, existing school buildings will be demolished in a phased basis except the existing dining hall.

School activities will remain operational during the construction period.

Also in the plans will be a series of support and specialist classrooms, a special needs unit, a library, multi media rooms and staff rooms.

To harness renewable energy, there will be photovoltaic solar panels on roofs, the external storage sheds and refuse store.

Also in the designs is the construction of a single storey multi-use sports hall and four multi-use hard ball courts.

Architects have also drawn up plans for outdoor seating and breakout areas, a sensory garden and a tech yard/engineering courtyard.

A total of 85 car parking spaces including four disabled parking spaces as well as two electric vehicle charge point spaces are planned. There will be 170 bicycle parking stands providing 340 parking spaces.

Provisions will also be made for rainwater harvesting on the site as well as a new electricity substation.

In the plans for St Mary’s College, there will also be a series of 20 support and specialist classrooms, a special needs unit, a library, PE hall and staff rooms.

Again, the school will remain operational during the construction period.

During the construction period, an airdome with an area of 1,050m2 is intended to be used for indoor sports.

The designs include 92 car parking spaces, including five disabled spaces and two electric vehicle charge points.

Also proposed are 330 cycle parking spaces.