The planning process by which the new Curraghmore National School, located on a greenfield site along the residential Ardmore Road, will be built is to commence in September 2014.
Following questions on the school raised at a recent Council meeting by Cllr Peter Burke, Westmeath County Council advised him that the Part VIII process for Curraghmore School will be brought before the 20 members of Westmeath County Council to commence the planning process in September 2014.
There was no estimation of a start or finish date for the school, but TOPIC understands it is hoped to open the school doors in September 2016.
Plans for the school include a new link road from the Dublin Road opposite Gleann Petit to the school site. However, it is not yet known if this crucial piece of infrastructure will be in place by the time the school is built.
Recently the Ardmore Road was subject to a number of planning applications for large residential estates. TOPIC understands the local residents’ association are fully supportive of the school, but not of any further residential developments.
Earlier this week, a large number of residents opposed plans by Shaston Construction Ltd, a company with links to Bennett Construction in Mullingar, to build 76 houses at a site on the road. The same company are also planning on building a further 27 houses on a site one field away from the 76-house site.
Residents are again opposed to this, saying the road cannot take the extra traffic associated with the developments.
The ‘Residents’ association say lives of children attending the new school will be at risk if the development is allowed go ahead. They also maintain that with two unfinished estates book-ending the Ardmore Road, there is no identified need for the Shaston estates.
