Plans for a large new school building at one of Cork's best-known private schools have been put on hold following an objection by a local property owner.
An appeal has been lodged with An Bord Pleanála against the recent decision of Cork City Council to grant planning permission to Christian Brothers College in Cork for a new post-primary school building within the college’s grounds at Sidney Hill in Cork.
The plans provide for the construction of a new part two-storey and part three-storey school building as well as an external all-weather playing pitch on a 0.3-hectare site which is currently the location for an astroturf pitch which is due for demolition under the planning application.
The facilities will include nine classrooms, specialist teaching rooms, offices and a double-height, multipurpose room as well as a kitchenette and social space and lockers for students.
CBC Cork – a fee-paying private school – said the new school building is designed to accommodate 150 pupils of the current school population of 920.
The school’s board of management said there would be no increase in enrolment levels as a result of the new building, which would provide state-of-the-art teaching facilities and a multipurpose room with seating for up to 200 to cater for school assemblies and performances.
“It will enhance facilities for the current student body and will also address a shortfall in the number of classrooms on the school campus, enabling the school to meet identified targets such as reducing class sizes and increasing subject offerings,” it added.
According to the board of management, the proposed extension of its facilities will also provide “high-quality infrastructure that befits the college’s status as one of the primary educational institutions in the city.”
The development replaces a larger school building for which planning permission was granted by An Bord Pleanála in July 2020 following an unsuccessful appeal by two objectors.
However, the board of management said that following a review in consultation with Edmund Rice Schools Trust, it was decided that the plans for the larger, five-storey building, which was estimated would cost €12.5 million, were “not commercially viable.”
The new scaled-down model for the school building with a total floor area of 1,625m² is 33 per cent smaller than the previous design, but is sited in a new location higher up the hill within the campus.
The board of management claimed the new building would not result in any increase in traffic flows as there are no plans to increase student numbers.
It also pointed out that the number of parking spaces within its grounds would be reduced from 77 to 66.
However, the appellant, Con Murphy from Macroom, Co Cork, who owns three houses adjacent to the school’s main entrance, said he was appealing the council’s ruling with some reluctance given the fact that the proposed development relates to a school.
However, consultants acting for Mr Murphy, who also lodged an appeal with An Bord Pleanála against the larger version of the new school building in 2020, said he felt that he had little choice.
The consultants claimed CBC Cork also had a poor track record in living up to its commitments in relation to traffic.
However, they acknowledged that the reasons why such commitments had proven very difficult to achieve was due to its “almost unique catchment area and student profile.”
“Our client would wish to make it clear that he had no objection to the provision of improved facilities for pupils and staff. He has only one purpose in making this appeal – to prevent an already chaotic traffic situation at school peak times becoming worse,” they stated.
The consultants said they could demonstrate a probable way in which overall student numbers could increase, despite the school’s apparent commitment that they will stay unchanged.
They highlighted how the top floor of a building belonging to the adjacent CBC Preparatory School is used by the college’s first year students.
Mr Murphy claims the “bottom line” is that the new building will create a capacity within the campus for 200 more students.
The appellant claims any increase on existing numbers would worsen existing traffic problems in the area.
Consultants for Mr Murphy have urged An Bord Pleanála to adopt “a very simple solution” of limiting overall student numbers on the CBC campus to 1,150.
