Strule shared education campus delayed again

THERE has been a further delay to the opening of the Strule shared education campus.

The Education Minister Michelle McIlveen, has said the campus will now fully open in 2026.

The original opening date was suppose to be in 2020, and was delayed further till 2023.

The estimated cost of the project has also risen to about £230m according to figures previously released in November 2021.

Arvalee Special School, which opened in 2016, is the only one of the six schools built so far.

Loreto Grammar School; Omagh High School; Sacred Heart College; Omagh Academy and Christian Brothers Grammar School are set to relocate to the campus.

The Minister confirmed the new opening date in a response to an assembly question from the West Tyrone MLA Daniel McCrossan.

In response the Minister said, “On the current programme timetable, subject to all necessary approvals being in place, contract award is planned for early 2023.

“Assuming successful appointment of a main works contractor and following the pre-construction design period, campus construction is due to begin on site in the spring of 2023.

“It is currently planned to complete early 2026, with potential partial opening of some facilities in academic year 2025/26 and full campus opening planned for September 2026.”