Ballymena School Faces Wreckers' Ball

A Co Antrim primary school is to be urgently demolished amid fears of both possible exposure to deadly asbestos dust and because of continuing anti-social behaviour and vandalism.

There's no sign of any plan to rebuild on the site of Balee Primary School which is to be knocked down at a cost of around £85,000 to prevent further damage and potential exposure to dangerous asbestos.

The decision to get the demolition experts in urgently was approved at a meeting of the North-Eastern Education and Library Board at the beginning of July and although the last class of children only left the school on June 25, Head of Property Services Mr George Wylie told board members the building needed to be flattened as quickly as possible.

The Ballymena Guardian reported that Mr Wylie said there had already been a number of vandalism attacks.

"We are concerned about further attacks on the school. Our recommendation is that, as the building is surplus to requirements, we should demolish it.

"It will be taken down to ground level, the rubble removed and we will landscape the area to tidy it up."

The board was told that securing the premises was a major concern now that the school was effectively empty.

It is expected that asbestos removal experts will move in right away as the hazardous substance must be removed under strictly controlled conditions.

After that the main demolition work will take place within a matter of weeks.

It was estimated asbestos removal would cost about £20,000 to £25,000 with between £50,000 and £60,000 for the main demolition and clear up work.

(BMcC/GK)