Education Minister has announced that four new
build major works projects and nine school enhancement projects
will progress to construction stage.
The four major works projects are:
- Enniskillen Royal Grammar School, Enniskillen;
- Priory Integrated College, Holywood;
- Dunclug College, Ballymena; and
- St Malachy's Primary School, Armagh.
Delivery of each project will be spread across a number of years
as delivery of the projects progresses on site. The total
capital investment on these projects is just over £130million
across the coming four-year period.
A further nine schools will move to construction on school
enhancement projects.
These are:
- Lurgan College;
- Greenhaw Primary School;
- Antrim Primary School;
- Fairview Primary School;
- Ballyclare Primary School;
- Chapel Road Primary School;
- Our Lady of Lourdes Primary School Belfast;
- St Bride's Primary School, Belfast; and
- St Mary's Primary School, Newtownbutler
These schemes address immediate and pressing need through
smaller‑scale refurbishment or extension works. The total
capital investment on these projects is just over £50m across the
coming three-year period.
said: “I have today agreed to
release a small number of major works and school enhancement
projects to construction stage.
“Many of these projects have been in planning for a significant
number of years, serving schools that are in exceptionally poor
condition that have seen little or no investment and now urgently
require replacement buildings. Whilst I continue to work to
secure a Capital Budget settlement that can deliver the
investment required for our school estate, it is clear that these
schemes cannot continue to be held back.”
The Minister made the announcement during a visit to Fairview
Primary School, one of the nine schools to move to construction
of an enhancement project.
Speaking at the school, the Minister said: “I believe this is a
prudent approach to manage overall capital expenditure by very
carefully controlling the number of schemes released to
construction procurement, as part of a balanced portfolio of
schemes aimed at addressing the decades of underinvestment in our
school buildings.”
The Minister concluded: “Proceeding to construction stage will be
very welcome news for the schools, pupils and wider school
communities concerned and for the wider construction industry.
“I will of course continue to make the case for increased and
sustained capital investment across our Schools' Estate.”
