PLANS are in place to transform a disused former boys’ school in Bandon into a new community centre for the town.
Planning permission to change the use of St Fintan’s National School at Gallows Hill – which is a protected structure – into a community centre was granted by Cork County Council last week.
The successful planning application was made by Reverend Denis McCarthy from the Bandon Union of Parishes and includes the construction of a revised single storey extension to the side and rear of the existing building.
Fianna Fáil’s Cllr Gillian Coughlan has welcomed progress on the development.
‘I hope that this will commence and be completed in a timely fashion as the site had laid derelict for far too long,’ she told The Southern Star.
‘I commend the Church of Ireland for their community spirit and I commit my assistance to them to see this project to completion should they require it. The Gallow’s Hill area is of historical significance to the town and I appeal to Cork County Council to upgrade the road surface and footpaths on Chapel Street to improve connectivity and safety for all.’
The former school is located on the site of a former Catholic chapel and provided classes from junior infants to second class.
It closed in 1992 following the amalgamation of St Fintan’s and St Patrick’s National School into one central school in Bandon but suffered from a lack of maintenance and vandalism since, according to the planning application documents.
The windows on the building have been boarded up while the main entrance door and its fanlight are in poor condition.
The applicant also said that the scheme for the re-use and refurbishment of the building is a worthy one as it provides for the conservation and continuance of the building in public use.
