Opposition for Wicklow school extension as appeals lodged

The school’s board of management submitted the planning application to Wicklow County Council in August of last year, seeking permission for a single storey extension consisting of two mainstream classrooms, a classroom special education unit, two SET rooms, boiler house, and a link corridor to connect the existing three separate buildings to the existing school building, together with a secure external soft play area, minor internal alterations and elevational amendments, and all ancillary site development works.

Six children on the autism spectrum will be accommodated in the proposed special education unit, which contains a classroom and auxiliary accommodation, such as a quiet room and multi-activity room.

Wicklow County Council granted permission in March of this year, but three appeals against that decision have been submitted to An Bord Pleanála. The main focus of the appeals centres around traffic congestion during dropping off and picking up times at the school, and concerns that the addition of a new building at the school would create an increase in student numbers and associated traffic.

A decision on the appeal is due by August 26.