Seamount college in Kinvara has received planning permission to expand its classroom space and perform other renovations.
Renovations to be made include a single storey extension to the side of the existing school building to provide more classroom space, circulation, and toilets.
Other works that need to be done include adding a new ground floor entrance to the school, partly demolishing and rebuilding the courtyard wall, and adding a new vehicle entrance at the Gort road with a set down/drop off area.
As Seamount College is a protected structure, a conservation report had to be submitted with the application.
It said the renovations are needed for Seamount to meet the needs of the growing number of students in the area, and due to the limited parking and access to the site.
It also states there is an issue with ventilation, exacerbated by the unopenable stain glass windows, with evidence of damp in certain parts of the school.
Remedial methods such as wall vents and heat recovery vents are being considered to help tackle this.
Seamount College is a mish-mash of different architectural styles from its history as a formally designed doctor’s house, later serving as a convent and school, along with more recent additions.
The school consists of five blocks on a hill overlooking Kinvara, with the most historically significant being the original house built in 1830 with its rounded, stone arch doorway.
The conservation report says the renovations would not compromise the historical structure and will enhance the overall site by re-establishing the walled courtyard and orchard to the rear of the site.
Galway county council gave permission for the renovation works to go ahead with six conditions attached.
The council insisted that a photographic record must be kept of all works on concealed surfaces, and an architect with expertise in conservation should be consulted at all steps of the project.
