Mary Queen of Peace PS, a newbuild school for Co Antrim designed by Hamilton Architects, is one of the educational projects to benefit from an £80m funding injection announced by Education Minister Paul Girvan.
Two local primary schools, St Mary’s of Cargan and Glenravel PS of Martinstown, will be amalgamated in a new 9 classroom facility on a greenfield site at Glenravel outside Ballymena.
The 1,975m2 project will deliver a multi-purpose hall, full production kitchen, staff facilities and resource area for 250 pupils and staff.
A bespoke design pays tribute to the building’s rural vernacular with a distinctive barn style multi -purpose hall and classroom blocks in subtle pitched roof to echo the area’s traditional housing.
The multi-purpose hall, with a full product kitchen adjacent, acts as a formal dining room. There are also three large resource areas and a central glazed octagon which engages the interior of the school with the outdoors. A series of staff facilities is provided, along with three multi-purpose rooms.
Formal play areas on both hard and soft surfaces will include an external play store for equipment, along with 29 parking spaces for staff and visitors and a designated drop-off area for junior school.
A footpath will be created to establish a walking route from the main road into Martinstown, linking the school with its local community.