Monday 14 April 2008

South Quay works to cost in region of €2m

A rough estimate for the cost of improvement works on the South Quay is €2 million despite the fact that Wicklow County Council don't have any money for the project.Town Clerk Michael Nicholson made it clear at Monday's monthly meeting that money was still an issue after a presentation by Dr. Phillip Hull of Doran Consulting on the quay.

A rough estimate for the cost of improvement works on the South Quay is €2 million despite the fact that Wicklow County Council don't have any money for the project.

Town Clerk Michael Nicholson made it clear at Monday's monthly meeting that money was still an issue after a presentation by Dr. Phillip Hull of Doran Consulting on the quay.

We have no money to do it. If we go looking for money there is no guarantee that we will get it or get enough. If we go as far as tender then we may get more,' stated Mr. Nicholson.

He also queried if the wall at South Quay was in as bad a condition as various consultants had made out.

Seven years ago we were told it was an impending disaster. I have yet to meet consultants who have ever said it's grad lads, you don't need to do anything.''

Mr. Nicholson wondered if reducing the amount of traffic using the quay to a one way system might solve the problem just as well.

However, Dr. Hull disagreed and said there were dangerous signs along the quay like cracks in the road.

It's in poor condition and is only going to get worse.'

Meanwhile trouble over a securing a Foreshore License means that the initial plan for the quay had to be redesigned. The department responsible for the license felt that narrowing the river would result in flooding elsewhere. As a result the line of the wall has been redesigned to match the line already in place.

This alarmed some councillors who wanted the wall raised to try and prevent flooding along the quay.

If the department refuse to give the license it sees futile to put in a new quay wall and still have the river coming over the top of it.

It won't be doing the one thing it should be doing, raising the wall by half a metre or so,' said Cllr. Bob Kearns.

The redesign also makes the project more complicated and a time scale of works is now estimated at 50 weeks rather than the original 35.

Wicklow People

www.buckplanning.ie

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