An additional 300 students will be accommodated at Coláiste Éinde in Salthill following the decision of Galway City Council to grant planning permission for a two-storey extension to the school.

Nine new classrooms will be provided in the 1,700 square metres development, which represents a 27% expansion of the school on Threadneedle Road.

Built by James Stewart Building Contractors and opened in 1937, the two-storey school is listed in the register of Protected Structure, as an example of educational design of the period, of architectural, social and historical interest.

Diarmuid Cronin of Cronin Architects, in a submission to city planners on behalf of Coláiste Éinde, said that the flat-roof extension would enhance the existing building and its 16-acre site and would not negatively impact it.

“The proposed works, which are to the rear of the school and also to an area that was more recently extended, does not negatively impact the existing building and the proposed glazed link helps to show a separation from the existing building and where the extension provides a more contemporary finish.

“The proposal also incorporates an enhanced sheltered courtyard to the rear of the school which should provide a positive addition to the building,” his submission added.

A submission opposing the granting of planning permission was received from Newcastle Road resident Martin Joyce, who claimed that the school had shown “total disregard to the traffic problems that it creates in the neighbourhood”.

School buses were not allowed to drop off or collect inside the property, leading to buses parking illegally along Threadneedle Road, while for cars there was no system in place to manage drop off and collection of students, leading to “a chaotic situation” on the road.

“It is remarkable that the applicant is making no effort to address the increased travel and traffic that the proposed development will bring to the site, more classes means more students, means more travel requirements, but their plans to deal with this is ignored in their application.

“This is despite the overall area being approx. 16 acres, more than sufficient space to provide proper drop off facilities for cars and buses within its own property,” Mr Joyce’s submission added.

However, a city planners’ report said that the school’s plans to provide an additional 14 car parking spaces was in line with the requirements of the City Development Plan of one per classroom plus four additional spaces.

The City Council has decided to grant planning permission, subject to a number of conditions.

The Council has also granted permission for a temporary entrance from Threadneedle Road to be used during the construction period, with the stipulation that the wall must be rebuilt after construction is completed.

Coláiste Éinde was initially founded as a preparatory all-Irish language school and opened in 1928 on its original site in Furbo, Connemara. Construction commenced on the building on Threadneedle Road in 1928 but was not fully completed until about 1937.

It continued mainly as a preparatory college for aspiring National School Teachers. It was at that time a boarding college, Irish-speaking and the all-male student population came from far and wide.

Following the sinking of the SS Athenia in Galway Bay just after the outbreak of World War Two in 1939, the college was made available for refugees and survivors of the sinking.

Coláiste Éinde became a day-school in 1986, when classes were conducted through English and the students, for the most part, came from the surrounding area. In 1991, it went co-educational and took in its first female students.

Pictured: Coláiste Éinde: Nine new classrooms.