CONSTRUCTION work at the new Holy Trinity Primary School will not begin until January 2026, the Education Minister has said. 

According to  Minister Paul Givan, the redevelopment project is "still at an early stage", and that going by "current estimates",  construction work will not commence on site in January 2026.

However, the Minister also stressed that this timeline is "subject to change".

The update on the redevelopment was provided to Sinn Fein MLA, Jemma Dolan following an assembly question directly to Minister Givan. 

Within the response, Minister Givan, outlined that the redevelopment will include a twenty-one class base primary school and nursery unit on a new site, which will be located east of the Irvinestown Road, Enniskillen.

The major redevelopment of Holy Trinity was announced in June 2020 as one of nine major capital works projects, which will benefit from an estimated investment of £156m.

The redevelopment will see the school situated on one site to replace the two sites on both Derrin Road and Mill Street, which currently house almost 700 pupils over  

In his response to Mrs. Dolan, Minister Givan, outlined that the project is now at the "design stage", following the approval of a business case last year.  

"An Integrated Consultant Team (ICT) was appointed in November 2021, who will be responsible for the full design of the project and management of the building contractor," the Minister said. 

"A Business Case was approved in June 2023 confirming the preferred option as a new build twenty-one class base primary school and nursery unit on a new site located east of the Irvinestown Road, Enniskillen.

"The project is currently at the Concept Design Stage (RIBA Stage 2), and a Report on this stage is anticipated to be lodged with the Department in March 2024.

"Although still at an early stage and subject to change, current estimates are that construction work would commence on site in January 2026."

The Minister added: "Holy Trinity Primary School was announced as one of nine major capital works projects to advance in planning by the then Minister of Education on June 23, 2020."