Planning permission has been approved for the construction of a Democratic School in a Longford Village. Midhe Democratic School CLG has applied to Longford County Council for the change of use of an existing residential building to community education use in Barry Village. The plans would see three classrooms and ancillary facilities developed on the site, with works also including essential repairs, internal alterations, replacement of the existing septic tank.
The schools are based on the American Sudberry model and allow every member of the school such as staff and students to have a voice in running the school, curriculum and activities. The application was the subject of several submissions against the development, which highlighted concerns over heavy traffic on the road, devaluation of nearby property values and potential noise pollution from students. Longford County Planners approved the application with 11 conditions attached.
