Winds of change at work in new Limerick school proposal
THE proposed new multi-million euro secondary school in Abbeyfeale will have a strong eco-friendly impetus, as it will be powered by two on-site wind turbines.
Formal plans for the 850 pupil school, which will replace the town's three existing second level schools, were formally submitted to Limerick County Council this week by Macquarie Partnerships for Ireland (MPFI), who were recently awarded the contract to build and operate the school by the Department of Education.
The plans allow for a 9,166 square metre building on the chosen 4.4 hectare site at Convent Street, Abbeyfeale, with a separate application for two 20 metre-high wind turbines located at the northern end of the site.
The school will comprise 23 regular classrooms as well as 30 specialist classrooms, a special needs unit, a school library, a canteen, staff and administration areas and other general purpose areas.
There will also be a strong emphasis on sports, with provision for a full-size playing pitch and six hard surface courts outside the school's main indoor sports hall. In total, the building will have 4,961 square metres of floor space.
Local councillor Liam Galvin said that he has been encouraged by the initial reaction of county planners to the proposed development.
"I've been speaking to Sisk, who are going to be doing the construction work, and I've also been talking to some of the county planners, and they're happy with the design and the layout of the school. Now that doesn't mean it's going to be validated overnight, but it's encouraging that there won't be many issues with traffic management. (The school) is going to be an outstanding, magnificent school for Abbeyfeale."
The new school will replace the town's three existing second level schools - St Ita's College, St Joseph's Secondary School and the Abbeyfeale Vocational School.
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Weather for Limerick
Friday 25 May 2012
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Temperature: 13 C to 24 C
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