COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF RATHFARNHAM AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 09, 2012

MOTION NO. 8

MOTION: Councillor A.M. Dermody

"That the Manager up date this meeting as to the progress made by the Council since the last Rathfarnham Area Committee towards reopening the bridge at Prospect Manor and what progress has been made by the Council in the intervening month in alieviating the stress to residents by opening a temporary pedestrian through from Springvale pending the remedial work to the bridge and the ultimate re-opening of that bridge."

REPORT:

Since the last Rathfarnham Area Committee Meeting, the County Architect has been in contact with the Developer and his structural engineer to progress the matter.

The Developer has agreed to repair the bridge and his consulting engineer has visited the bridge with a specialist repair contractor. The review has been affected by the abnormally high level of the river in the last fortnight. However, the Contractor has advised that it may be possible to underpin the bridge without the necessity of having to remove the steel deck of the bridge, thus lessening difficulties and risks with ESB and Bord Gais services.

The repair area will require to be sandbagged and the river diverted and pumped which has implications for fish and other aquatic life in the river. The Council is therefore arranging to discuss the matter with Inland Fisheries Ireland in relation to mitigation measures and environmental requirements. The Contractor will now prepare a method statement for the works for approval by the Council and also prepare cost quotations for agreement with the Developer.

In relation to the possibility of providing access via Springvale Estate, following discussion at the September Rathfarnham Area Committee meeting, it was proposed that the option of alternative access through Springvale, even on a temporary basis, be examined. Council staff have examined this option and have established that it is certainly a possible option, subject to detailed costing. The estimated cost of constructing a temporary path to current accessibility standards and the provision of access through the wall into Springvale is estimated to be in the order of €25,000 - €30,000. There is no provision for expenditure of this order in the 2012 Parks & Landscape Services budget. 

However, it would appear at this stage that the fastest and most cost effective method to remedy the situation is via the Developer and the works outlined above. The Council will continue to liaise with the Developer and his agents to ensure that this matter is resolved at the earliest opportunity.