€11.5m Ballina project won't start for another 18 months

Construction works are not expected to begin for another 18 months on the €11.5m regeneration of Ballina Quay, with Mayo County Council warning that rising costs could increase the overall bill.

The project is currently in the design stage, and the local authority is now preparing to go to tender for detailed design work.

Councillors raised the plans at the October meeting of the Ballina Municipal District last Wednesday, asking when works could begin and how long it would take to complete.

The council's Director of Services Catherine McConnell said it was not yet possible to set out a full timeline, as the project requires input from several specialists.

“We hope to have work underway within 18 months, but it is a complicated project that requires several specialists,” the senior council official explained.

Ms McConnell told councillors that the detailed design work must be completed before the plans are returned to the Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage for approval, followed by a tender process for the construction works.

Cllr Michael Loftus asked whether the €7.5m secured through the Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) was ring-fenced, and whether the funding could be lost if the project was not completed within a set timeframe.

Ms McConnell confirmed that the funding could not be lost, saying the council had discussed a realistic timeline with the Department, which recognised the complexity of the Quay project.

The local authority is funding the remainder of the project and the council’s own contribution is also ring-fenced. However, Ms McConnell warned that any increase in costs due to inflation would have to be covered by the local authority.

“We have to bear that cost,” Ms McConnell confirmed. “If the project goes up in cost, the local partner has to bear that, so we have to be careful that we get the right consultants and the right information about costings at every stage of the process.” 

The multi-million euro redevelopment of the Quay will include new boating and water sports facilities, changing rooms, toilets and storage facilities, alongside the refurbishment of the Kennedy Glasgow Centre, an extension of commercial units and the installation of a pedestrian crossing.

• Published as part of the Local Democracy Reporting Scheme.