St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School on the Glen Road gets major planning application approved
St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School, Belfast
Belfast Councillors have questioned why a new sports complex at a Christian Brothers Grammar School in West Belfast is not going to be used for wider community use.
Elected representatives at the Belfast City Council Planning Committee on Tuesday (April 21) unanimously approved a new three storey sports hall, gymnasium, PE facility and footbridge connecting to an existing GAA playing field, at St Mary’s Christian Brothers Grammar School on the Glen Road.
Despite unanimous approval, councillors from Sinn Féin and Alliance asked why there was no plan for community use outside school hours. A council official said it was part of the application to only serve pupils and staff.
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The plan involves a new sports hall, gymnasium, fitness suite, a new dance/lecture and drama suite, a P.E classroom, changing accommodation and toilets for pupils and staff, a hygiene Room and P.E office.
Council officers recommended the plan for approval. The council received no representations from the public, and no objections from the statutory consultees.
The officer planning report states: “The proposal is considered to enhance the overall sports and recreation facilities for the pupils of St Mary’s. The proposed building will be built on an existing all-weather pitch that provides limited value to the school in the way of amenity/ recreation.
“It will be more adaptable to the school curriculum and will be able to be used throughout the year. The proposal will include a link bridge to the existing pitch to the rear of the site.
“The overall range of facilities that will be provided within the new proposal is considered to far outweigh the partial loss of open space within the school campus,and will not result in a detriment to the overall green infrastructure provision in line with (policy). The addition of landscaping to this area of the school campus will enhance the character, amenity and biodiversity of the campus and assist in mitigation against climate change.”
At the Planning Committee meeting, Sinn Féin Councillor Áine McCabe said: “Why the condition? Have they thought about possible community use down the line?”
Alliance Councillor Tara Brooks said: “My question is the same, around condition six, that it will only be for the benefit of pupils. I have no idea what the school wants to do, but if we are going to have that facility, why can’t we open it up to the community?”
A council officer replied: “The reason it is conditioned like that is because that is what was put forward to us in terms of the planning statement. All the roads and associated information was based on it only being used for the pupils in the school.
“If that needs to change then they could apply for non-compliance with that condition and provide information down the line, if that is their intention.”
Sinn Féin Councillor and committee chair Ryan Murphy said: “There are other examples where we have facilities that can’t be used outside of school time, and it is a bit of a crying shame, because people end up having to go outside local areas to get access.”
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