Sale of Mayo military barracks site for education campus approved
THE sale of a portion of the military barracks in Castlebar for a new centre of further education has been approved by the members of Mayo County Council.
Some 1.911 hectares of land, including buildings, is being sold to Mayo, Sligo and Leitrim Education Training Board (MSLETB) for €460,000, to develop a state-of-the art college for training in diverse fields such as agricultural technology, life sciences, digital technology and applied research and skills.
Two blocks, and the house on the way in, are being retained by the council and a request has been made to find accommodation for the ONE ex-servicemen veterans group, who currently have no base.
The sale was on the agenda for approval at the monthly meeting of Mayo County Council where district cathaoirleach Councillor Al McDonnell hailed plans for the proposed new campus as 'one of the most exciting projects to come before this council for many years'.
He suggested a clause to the sale that would mean they had to see significant development on-site within three years, but caution was urged that such a timescale was unduly onerous to go through design, the legals and other aspects of delivering the project.
This centre of excellence would be a game changer for the town and county, Councillor Blackie Gavin commented, keeping students in Mayo. It was one of the best good news stories to come out of the council chamber for a long time.
He paid tribute to the ETB and council team, including directors of services Catherine McConnell and John Condon and David Mellett, head of the municipal district, for their work on the project, which has been ongoing for a number of years.
It was a massive economic and educational boost for Castlebar, with over 1,000 students, putting the town on the map as a third-level town, commented Councillor Harry Barrett.
It would breath new life into a historic site that has been vacant for over 10 years while also enhancing connectivity and a greener town space.
Councillor Barrett also asked for clear timelines to maintain momentum and prevent delays.
Councillor Donna Sheridan, who worked on the project with the ETB, said a project such as this, with buildings on the protected structures register, will take time, but they will work together to do it.
The new college will transform the town, bringing energy and life into the centre of the town, she added.
It is a fantastic day for Castlebar, agreed Councillor Ger Deere. It will take time but it will be achieved.
It was great to see the top table getting credit, he added, with a rebuke for Councillor Gavin - last month he said they weren't fit to deliver anything to Castlebar, said Councillor Deere, and he was glad to see he had changed his mind.
Councillor Michael Kilcoyne raised correspondence from the ONE group, asking that consideration be given to providing them with a space in the council part of the property.
* Published under the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.