Joy as school plan refusal overturned

STUDENTS whose hopes of a move to a new school building were shattered when councillors refused to rezone the site last summer were celebrating yesterday after the decision was overturned.

An Bord Pleanála’s decision to grant permission for the school reverses the vote by members of Cork City Council last July not to change the zoning of 2.3 acres of the 11-acre Tank Field in Montenotte, where playing pitches are used by the local community and sports clubs.

The Department of Education applied in January last year for permission to build a 16-classroom school on that portion for Gaelscoil an Ghort Álainn, which has been accommodated in prefabs of a local GAA club since it opened 15 years ago.