Four years at least before new Strule Campus is opened

THE flagship Strule Shared Education Campus in Omagh won’t be ready to open within the next four years, the Minister for Education has confirmed.
Peter Weir last week set a provisional date of September 2024 to welcome the first students.
But he says even that hope is dependent on construction work for the project starting by May 2021.
Plans for the new campus, which aims to provide shared education for post-primary schools in Omagh town, were first revealed in the 2011-2015 Programme for Government. The latest setback for the project comes just weeks after a major report from the Auditor General revealed that costs had spiralled from an original estimate of £168 million to £213.7 million.
Responding to an Assembly question from West Tyrone SDLP MLA, Daniel McCrossan, Mr Weir, said a review of the construction programme had taken place after a contractor for the project could not be found.
“The Department (for Education) has completed a fundamental review of the construction programme and I will be giving consideration to the issues raised,” he said.
“In light of this delay, the go-live date has been revised. Provisional opening of the Campus is planned for September 2024 at the earliest.
“In the meantime, all other work on the programme, including construction and non-construction projects, is continuing uninterrupted.
“The site preparation works are substantially complete and Strathroy Link Road was completed in November 2019.”
Mr Weir described the Strule project as a ‘pioneering project,’ a longstanding Executive priority and a ‘massive capital investment.’
Mr McCrossan said it is disappointing that work had not yet begun.
“We’ve witnessed delay after delay along the process and I’ve seen little done in the three years of no Stormont.