Mayo Educate Together school looking to increase pupil numbers

CASTLEBAR Educate Together National School has applied for permission for the continued use of Marsh House as its base.

The school is also looking to have a limit put on enrolment figures removed.

The continued lease on the premises was recently approved by municipal district councillors.

Now, application has been made to Mayo County Council for continuance of the current education use together with an increase in the school enrolment within the curtilage of Marsh House, in Newtown, which is a protected structure.

A previous grant of permission by An Bord Pleanála was for five years to allow the council review the adequacy of the building for use as a school.

The school has issued a report confirming the adequacy of the building for their use as part of the application.

The school also agreed to a park and stride policy as part of the original grant of planning and which is again included in their new application.

Eight conditions attached by An Bord Pleanála in their original decision have all been applied to the building and site.

That planning permission limits enrolment to 68 students and in its new application the school is seeking to remove that limit to cater for increased pupil numbers.

The board of management has undertaken to monitor and control the additional enrolments to ensure numbers don't exceed a reasonable level given the size of the school building and site.