Lambeg school left in new build limbo

Pupils have been bussed to the former Balmoral High School premises since last year on the understanding that work on a new building was set to commence in the near future.

Now however, the Department has confirmed that while the scheme is 'fully compliant' and should go ahead - it will depend on money being available.

Balmoral High School was built as a PFI project but closed after just a few years.

Lisburn Councillor John Drake warned the bussing arrangement cannot continue in the long term and said the lack of information about a start date for the new school in Lambeg from Minister Caitriona Ruane is causing "serious damage to the interests of the community in terms of Catholic educational provision."

He went on: "The bungled budget approach to the provision of a crucially needed new St. Colman's is an indictment of an appalling Departmental attitude. The project for the provision of a new school complex has been in the pipeline for a number of years."

He said he believed the Minister and her officials "must have made the necessary provision to meet the expected costs in the current financial year".

"For the Minister to now inform the school and parents that the scheme has been shelved is a sickening snub for all those who have worked so hard for so long to have their dream achieved" he said.

Mr Drake said the Governors of St. Colman's had agreed 'in good faith' to take up the Balmoral option on the understanding it was to be a temporary plan to help speed up the building of a new school. But now, he said there were growing fears that it could continue for much longer.

"The St. Colman's school family as a whole deserve what they have been promised, and worked for over many years" he said.

"The Balmoral High plan is not one designed to meet the needs of an expanding school population. At best it is a stop gap response."

A spokesperson for the Department of Education said: "The arrangements allowing St Colman's Primary School to use the former Balmoral High School premises were put in place before the current pressures on the Department's capital budget. When funds become available the school's proposals will be considered along with other priorities."