An important redevelopment opportunity will arise shortly in the centre of Swords, Co Dublin, when the Church of Ireland sells The Old Borough School at Main Street by tender on April 22nd.

David Blanc of Lisney is quoting a guideline price of over £900,000 for the building, which dates from 1809 and was designed by Francis Johnston.

The sale will also include a two-storey house adjoining the property. The two-storey over basement building is still used as a three-teacher school. Construction of a new school is due to begin shortly at Church Road. Although the school has no previous planning history, developers are likely to suggest a variety of commercial schemes for the site of almost half an acre.

One possibility would be to develop a row of shops along the front of the site with an archway into the school at the rear. The school has a floor area of 6,900 sq ft and could be converted for use as offices, a restaurant or other commercial venture.

The school has a frontage of almost 100 ft on to Main Street. David Blanc says the property is one of the few remaining development opportunities along Main Street and should be of interest to both developers and investors. Swords is regarded as one of the fastest growing urban areas in the country. Hundreds of new houses have been completed in recent years and many more are planned for the area.

Developers Flynn and O'Flaherty are also planning to build a large new town centre, which will include a major shopping centre, cinemas and offices.