Tag Archives: Knockanean

A LONG awaited multi-million euro re-development of Knockanean National School has been given the green light by Clare County Council. The plans submitted by the Office of Public Works (OPW) include the construction of eight new classrooms, with an existing four-classroom block built in 2011 retained and integrated into the new build. The new development will not result in an increase in student numbers at the school, with a condition of planning limiting school enrolments to 297 pupils. The number of enrolments can only be changed with another planning permission. According to the planning authority, “In the interests of traffic safety and free flow, the protection of adjacent amenities and to control the intensity of use of the site, it is considered appropriate to restrict pupil numbers to current enrolment levels in order to provide for a qualitative improvement of school facilities.” Councillor Johnny Flynn, part of the project team established to realise the new development, has described the planned …

THE Office of Public Works has insisted that plans to re-develop Knockanean National School will alleviate traffic problems outside of the school after concerns about the proposal were raised by the local authority. The Office of Public Works (OPW) submitted a planning application for the re-development of Knockanean National School earlier this year. The plans include the construction of eight new classrooms, with an existing four-classroom block retained and integrated into the new build. Clare County Council sought further information on the new plans, and according to the response the OPW have insisted that just renovating the existing school would not “help in any way in alleviating the traffic ad hoc parking on the main public road”. It points out that the school currently has 11 classrooms and the proposal will result in just one additional classroom. “By moving the location of the building back further in to the site it creates space at the front and in doing so …

Two boys, both aged 15, who were swimming at a quarry in Ennis have died at University Hospital Limerick. It is understood that the two teenagers got into difficulty at a disused quarry near Knockanean in the town today [Thursday]. Both boys were recovered by the Coastguard helicopter shortly after 3.30pm, after gardai were notified that people were in difficulty in the water, at Knockanean quarry lake and assistance was required. They were airlifted to University Hospital Limerick but this evening news has emerged that both have been pronounced deceased. Both are believed to be from Ennis. Their names will not be released until family members have been notified. It is understood that the teenagers were due to sit their junior certificate examinations on Wednesday.

PLANS for a new primary school in Knockanean, developed by the architects behind the state laboratory and other high-profile buildings, have been lodged with Clare County Council. The proposals put forward by the Office of Public Works for the new two-storey school are awaiting validation by the local authority to enable to planning process to commence. The development plans consist of a new two-storey primary school building with a gross floor area of approximately 2,535m², accommodation consisting of 16 classrooms, a general purpose room, a library/resource room and ancillary accommodation. The existing four-classroom block is to be incorporated into the new school plans. The proposal also includes the re-location of the existing gated vehicular entrance and a new gated vehicular and pedestrian entrance is proposed off the Knockanean Road boundary, serving 24 on-site car-parking spaces and associated set-down areas, pedestrian pathways together with two ball courts, play areas, a bin store, a bicycle shelter, three flagpoles, connection to existing foul drainage …