COMHAIRLE CONTAE ÁTHA CLIATH THEAS
SOUTH DUBLIN COUNTY COUNCIL

MEETING OF LUCAN/PALMERSTOWN/FONTHILL AREA COMMITTEE

Tuesday, October 22, 2019

MOTION NO. 2

MOTION: Councillor P. Gogarty

That the Chief Executive reports on outstanding delays or glitches in the "Have Your Say - 300k" process for Palmerstown and Lucan, including the Silver Bridge (delayed but imminent consultant appointment), King John Bridge (delay for root treatment) and the rollout of books (in intermittently accessible locations) and outlines what practical measures can be implemented to speed up these projects in line with the desire expressed by local communities.

REPORT:

The Council is awaiting an updated feasibility study regarding potential works to the Silver Bridge as provided for through the €300k Have Your Say participatory budgeting initiative and consultants were appointed to carry out this work in April 2019. This is a joint project with Fingal County Council and they have indicated that the initial report should be completed in November. This will be shared with elected members once it is available.

South Dublin Libraries purchased books to be used for the €300k Have Your Say initiative and they were delivered to LIFE Centre, Esker Hill, Lucan (Lucan Institute of Further Education), Ballyowen Community Centre and Palmerstown Community Centre in 2018 with the project noted as completed from that time.

Rgarding King John's Bridge - a full Condition Structural Assessment was completed during 2018.  The Report and survey drawings were finally completed by the consultant Conservation Engineer in November 2018. The condition assessment identified that there were two large sycamore roots imbedded in the bridge structure.  It was recommended by the Consultant Conservation Engineer in agreement with the Councils Architectural Conservation Officer that further advice be sought from a specialist botanist and that treatment of the roots would be required immediately.  During 2019, a number of treatments were injected into the roots which started the initial decay, however further assessment during  May and June 2019 concluded that a further two injections were required.  Unfortunately, due to the large sycamore roots and the impact they are having on the bridge structure remedial repair and conservation works have not been achievable to date. A further assessment of the roots was carried out at the end of September by the Consultant Conservation Engineer and the Council's Architectural Conservation Officer it was decided that another injection was needed, which is planned for October.  After further root treatment is completed, the Council's Architectural Conservation Officer and Consultant Conservation Engineer will decide on how best to progress this project and agree on an appropriate schedule of works that will depend on the rate of root decay.  A programme of works will be agreed and completed with conservation repair works programmed for early/mid 2020 when further decay and removal of the decayed roots will be most likely. Once a work programme and schedule has been agreed, the Council's Architectural Conservation Officer who is managing this project, will provide a further update.