Tynwald asked to give go-ahead for new school enabling work

THE Department of Education will this month ask Tynwald to give the go-ahead for initial work towards the creation of a new school.

The Department plans to close Ballacloan Infants’ School and Fairfield Junior School and relocate them to a new, 350-capacity primary school it hopes to build on part of the old Noble’s Hospital site in Westmoreland Road, Douglas.

It was decided in 2004 that part of the old hospital site should be considered for educational use and a feasibility study has established that the site is suitable.

While some of the site is retained by the Department of Health and Social Security for health use, the Department has vacated other, occupied buildings to clear the way for the development.

The Department of Education has broken down the project into two phases. At this month’s Tynwald sitting, the Department is seeking approval to proceed with the first, enabling phase, costing £927,905, to remove asbestos and other contaminants, demolish buildings and carry out necessary façade works on adjacent, retained buildings.

Following the clearance of the site, it is hoped to proceed with detailed briefing/site investigations in 2011, with full design, planning and tender commencing in 2012 and construction in 2014, for completion by July 2015.

Ballacloan School opened as Demesne Road Boys School in 1908, closing in 1973 and re-opening after refurbishment in 1974 as Ballacloan Infants’ School.

Fairfield School originally opened as Tynwald Street School in 1874, becoming a girls’ and infants’ school in 1908 on the opening of Demesne Road Boys’ School and ultimately becoming the mixed junior school it is today.

‘Both school buildings have served the catchment well for in excess of 100 years,’ said Estates Director Richard Collister.

‘However, lack of internal and external space means the facilities are no longer deemed acceptable as a learning environment for the 21st century.

‘The nature of the existing buildings and the site constraints means that it is neither cost effective nor possible to fully address the issues and this is why the Department wishes to close the sites and transfer the schools to a new facility in Westmoreland Road.’

‘Tynwald approval to proceed with this enabling scheme will be a key milestone in the Department’s advancement of the replacement of these two schools and enable our timely return to Tynwald for the main scheme, to ultimately achieve the desired, much needed improvement in the primary educational facilities in the central Douglas catchment area.’

The estimated overall cost of the new school is £11.1 million at current levels, including the enabling works.

PICTURE:

Set for redevelopment: A hospital building in the foreground that is set for demolition and (at the rear) the new ward block, which will be retained and form part of the new school development