Planning permission for the long-awaited Buncrana Three-School Campus has been pushed back into next year, after Donegal ETB was granted extra time to provide information requested by Donegal County Council.
The deadline has now been extended from October 30th to February 7th, with traffic management and road safety among the key issues still to be addressed.
The development would bring Crana College, Coláiste Eoghain and Gaelscoil Bhun Cranncha together on a shared campus on Causeway Road.
Councillor Jack Murray says the latest delay has left parents, teachers and the wider community increasingly frustrated:
In a statement Donegal ETB said, “Following the submission of a planning application to Donegal County Council for the proposed three-school campus in Buncrana, Donegal Education and Training Board (ETB) received a Further Information (FI) request from the Council.
“Given the complex and technical nature of the matters raised, Donegal ETB and its Design Team met with Council officials on a number of occasions to seek clarification on the requirements of the FI request. As a result of these engagements, it was determined that additional technical reports and design work would be required to fully address the Council’s request.
“Before this additional work could commence, Donegal ETB was required to obtain funding approval from the project's funding body, the Department of Education and Youth, to cover the cost of the additional reports and professional services required.
“As it became clear that the necessary work could not be completed within the original timeframe, Donegal ETB applied for, and was granted, a three-month extension to the FI response period.
“The extension runs until 7 February 2027. Donegal ETB has now received the required funding approval from the Department of Education and Youth and is actively progressing the work necessary to respond to the FI request.
“The completed response will be submitted to Donegal County Council in advance of the 7 February 2027 deadline.”
