Yahoo News East Belfast Irish language primary school gets planning approval despite DUP opposition
An East Belfast Irish language primary school has been given planning approval - despite opposition from DUP councillors.
A vote on the plan came after some robust exchanges between between language activist Linda Ervine and DUP rep's.
At the Belfast City Committee Planning Committee on Thursday (June 27), elected representatives gave the green light for a proposed temporary nursery and primary school, a soft play area, new access, parking, landscaping, and ancillary site works. The site is at lands adjacent and east of 44 Montgomery Road, East Belfast BT6, and the applicant is the Bunscoil na Seolta of Glenmachan Road, East Belfast.
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On a recorded vote, the application received 11 votes in support, and five votes against the plan, all of which were from the DUP.
Council officers recommended the application for approval. The planning report states: “In the planning balance, it is considered that the benefits of the proposal in terms of providing a community and educational use outweigh the conflict with the development plan, namely the temporary loss of employment land.
“A three-year temporary approval is proposed to allow employment land requirements to be reviewed at that time. On balance, these benefits outweigh the relatively small loss of zoned employment land for a temporary period.
“No objections have been received from statutory consultees. The council’s Environmental Health service and DfI Roads raise no objections.”
The council received two objections from a resident and an elected representative and nine letters of support from the public.
The two objections raise concerns about loss of employment land, so-called “incompatible land use,” insufficient transport infrastructure and parking. The objectors raised considerations over alternative sites, sustainability, and said there was “a lack of demonstrated need”.
The report also summarised the letters of support. It states: “(The application) meets the need for an Irish Medium School in this area and it is the first of its kind, being an integrated school delivered through the medium of Irish.
“The changing nature of land use in the area means that there is a need for more community infrastructure, and there is oversubscription of the surrounding integrated schools. It will create an inclusive and collaborative environment across communities.
“(The application) aligns with the broader goals of community development and social integration, creating a space where children from diverse backgrounds can learn together, develop mutual respect, and build lasting friendships. Expressions of interest collected by the school clearly demonstrate demand within the area for integrated Irish-medium provision, and so this proposal will meet this demand.
“QUB has stated that there is a large body of empirical research that finds numerous cognitive and social-emotional benefits associated with child bilingualism. The work of Turas and Scoil na Seolta committee in their development of Scoil na Seolta will enable greater access to bilingualism and its benefits, alongside the continued development of cross-community relations.”
Linda Ervine MBE, the East Belfast language rights activist, and founder of Turas, the first Irish language programme in Belfast, appeared at the Planning Committee meeting to represent the applicant.
DUP Councillor for Titanic Sammy Douglas asked her if she was “picking up any community concerns or tensions” as a result of the application.
She replied: “Just the opposite. We delivered 17,000 leaflets in and around the East Belfast area and we ended up getting over 200 expressions of interest from parents in the local area. And that is for children from the age of birth up to the age of starting.
“At the moment we have 60 applications, to start in September, many from that very local area. We have attended a number of events in East Belfast, the Network Centre in Templemore Avenue, and on the Cregagh Road, and received an awful lot of positivity from people.”
DUP Councillor for Lisnasharragh Bradley Ferguson said: “I know she said she had delivered a lot of leaflets, but what consultation is going on with local elected reps or indeed community groups within this area, because I am not aware of any. Some have raised concerns with me, and they haven’t been spoken with.”
Linda Ervine said: “We have been working with a number of groups, including Church groups. I am part of Resolve, a community resolution organisation in East Belfast, and Sam White who heads that spoke to community leaders on the Clonduff estate, our nearest residential estate. Again, they were very happy and said they had no issue.
“We have been working very closely with our community police officer who is working closely with Lisnasharragh police station, and they have no concerns whatsoever. So if you are hearing concerns, we certainly aren’t. In fact, we have heard the opposite.”
She put it to Councillor Ferguson: “Maybe you would like to name who those people are?”
Green Councillor Áine Groogan said: “It is reflecting a changing Northern Ireland, and I think it is very positive. As for community concerns, I am not sure what community concerns you can have for a bunch of three to 11 year olds coming into an area.”
DUP Alderman Dean McCullough said: “No one is against any children getting any form of education. There is though a clear competition of plans and proposals in the east of the city, and indeed across the city.
“Employment land is critical, as is land for social housing. Planning has to be guided by the needs of the community, based on abject needs. It also needs to be guided by consent, community benefit, and community impact.
“I say with respect to Linda, we must be speaking to a very different Clonduff, or very different community representatives. I say respectfully the concerns are loud and clear in that part of East Belfast and wider.
“The challenge was laid down in terms of people being named, which I don’t think is appropriate for this forum. But it is quite simple for (Linda Ervine) to set out who (she) has engaged with, within those groups and communities.”
Chair of the Planning Committee, Sinn Féin Councillor Arder Carson said: “It is worth noting that this is not a major application, and so there is no requirement to carry out a public consultation. As long as they have followed the process in terms of advertising in the press.” He said there “was no requirement to name names.”
Councillor Ferguson said: “There is a loss of employment land, and that is a concern, because it is a well-known employment area. For years it was the Hughes Christensen site, I had family employed there at one time. I would like to see it back to that at some stage, for that is what it has been.”
There is an extant planning permission on the site at 44 Montgomery Road, which was granted in March for a mixed-use regeneration scheme involving demolition of vacant buildings at the Hughes Christensen site, the erection of a replacement supermarket, and the erection of industrial and storage units
The council planning report on the Bunscoil states; “A Section 76 planning agreement exists as part of the planning permission (for the replacement supermarket), it does not restrict permissions for temporary proposals. The proposed school/nursery will result in a portion of the above approval not being built out for a temporary period but does not restrict the remainder of the site will be built out as per (the planning application.)”
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