St Laurence’s Ready For Big Class

That new Laurence’s extension…

ith school places around here becoming an increasingly rare commodity year on year, one primary school is meeting the population boom head on.

By connecting its sturdy cabin classrooms out back to its original building via a shiny new extension in the middle, St Laurence’s National School will be adding 3 new class bases.

The school currently has 55 staff and 665 students. At the last count.

Filed on August 8th and now approved, St Laurence National School’s application no.2560610 reads…

Construction of a single-story SEN accommodation extension with a two-story link to the existing school (2,808sqm). The SEN accommodation (648.2sqm) includes a central activity space, 3 no. class bases, WC and a changing places toilet, and a link to the existing school. External works include sloped access, sensory garden, new play areas, hard and soft landscaping, and all associated site works.

Submissions were due by September 11th, whilst Wicklow Planning finally made their decision on October 2nd. You can check the extension plans here.

And while we have you there, the handful of residents in the neighbouring mini-estate, The Poplars, seem to have an ongoing competition over the last few years to see who can get the most houses built in their back garden.

The latest shot at the title comes from Ken Sullivan, who’s at No.1 The Poplars, and reckons four new houses would fit pretty neatly into his back garden.

Also filed on August 8th, and also approved by Wicklow County Council, planning application no.2560517 (later no.2560633) reads…

4 No. new 5-bedrooms detached dwellings located to the North/rear of the existing house. Existing vehicular access to be widened to serve proposed new dwellings. New vehicular access, gates, and driveway to serve existing dwelling. Demolition of existing shed to the east of the existing dwelling. All together with associated landscaping, boundaries treatment, and all other associated and ancillary works to serve proposed development.

Naturally, as with all planning applications for our local, potentially lucrative sites, the newspaper notice for No.1 The Poplars appeared in The Daily Star, long the newspaper of choice for the landed gentry around these here parts. Oh, and a few days after we posted, Ken’s application was deemed incomplete, followed by a new application, this time no.2560633.

And now that we think about it, with the neighbouring Eastmount, Littlebrook, Melwood and Churchland estates plus 85 dwellings approved for Dr Ryan’s old place, beyond Kindlestown Castle, is there a field left anywhere even near to Laurence’s now…? Hopefully, the school has some nature pics on file to show the kids.

You can check both above applications over on the Wicklow Planning website right about here, and keep up with the local goldmining news right here.