By Julie Waters
EDUCATION Minister Paul Givan has announced a major new school campus is to be built for Holywood’s Priory Integrated College, after a public campaign spanning over two decades.
The Minister said Priory Integrated College was one of four major school projects totalling £130m to be given the green light. A construction start date has not been confirmed but it is anticipated the work will begin in the next few years.
The long-awaited new complex for 600 students is set to be constructed on the former Redburn Primary School on the Old Holywood Road, a kilometre from Priory’s current campus on My Lady’s Mile.
The multi-million pound project includes a car park, a bus-drop off area, Special Educational Needs (SEN) accommodation and playing pitches with floodlighting.
The announcement has been welcomed as ‘fantastic news’ by campaigners who have said the current school building facilities are ‘no longer fit for purpose’.
Making the announcement Minister Givan said proceeding to construction stage will be very welcome news for the schools, pupils and wider school communities concerned and for the wider construction industry.”
Nicola Wilson, principal of Priory Integrated College hailed the announcement as an ‘important milestone’.
“I am delighted that the Education Minister Paul Givan has announced a new build for Priory Integrated College in Holywood,” she said. “We are a highly effective school with superb community spirit, and this investment represents an important milestone.
“This announcement reflects many years of sustained advocacy to secure a building that truly matches the quality of education and inclusion at Priory. The new development will support our pupils and wider community for generations to come as we continue to Accomplish More Together.”
North Down MLA Stephen Dunne said the announcement was ‘fantastic news for pupils, staff, and the wider community’.
“It was a privilege to visit Priory Integrated College with the Minister last year, to see first-hand the dedication of staff, the enthusiasm of pupils, and the strong sense of community that defines this excellent school,” he said.
“It was an opportunity for the Minister to clearly see for himself first hand, how the existing facilities are no longer fit for purpose.”
The DUP Assemblyman said: “The hard-working staff and students deserve modern, high- quality facilities that support learning, wellbeing, and future growth.”
Mr Dunne praised the principal and Board of Governors for their ‘commitment’ to the new build project and ‘how they have led the school despite the limitations of the current facilities over these years”.
He said: “Priory Integrated College plays a vital role within our local community, and this investment will help secure its future for generations to come.
“I can recall my late father Gordon Dunne MLA hosting the then Education Minister for a visit to Priory almost 15 years ago, which shows the length of time this new build has been campaigned on,” he said.
The news was also welcomed by Alliance’s North Down MLAs, Connie Egan and Andrew Muir.
Miss Egan said: “This news will mean that after many years of delay, Priory will benefit from state of the art facilities which match the outstanding quality of teaching within the school.”
Mr Muir said: “Huge congratulations goes to all the staff, who have put so much work and effort in over the years, overcoming massive hurdles to get us to this stage.
“This has been a long- standing commitment which ought to have been fulfilled many years ago,” he added
