End finally in sight to long running Muddy Hill saga
COUNCIL SAY CONTRACTOR TO BE APPOINTED FOR REMEDIAL WORKS AT CAR-PARK IN THE NEW YEAR
CORK County Council has confirmed that remedial works to stabilise the rock-face at the Muddy Hill car-park in Mallow will finally get underway in the New Year.
In late 2015 the authority closed a section of the car-park and restricted access to the grotto at the base of the wall on health and safety grounds after debris began falling from the crumbling rock-face.
At the time it was estimated that repair works to stabilise the structure could cost in the region of €100,000 and in January of last year the council confirmed it had engaged a firm of contractors to clean away excess vegetation and assess the stability of the rock-face.
A county council spokesperson has confirmed that the tender for a programme of remedial works to the structure has now been issued and it is expected that a contractor will be appointed in the new year.
“At the request of local county councillors who did not want to see any further disruption at the car-park over the lead-up to the busy Christmas period it was decided that the project would not commence until 2019,” said the spokesperson.
The spokesperson said the project would take in the region of 10 weeks to complete but was unable to give an exact costing due to “commercially sensitive” reasons.
“We will not be in a position to say exactly how much the works will cost until a contractor has been appointed and they have surveyed the entire structure.”
It is understood the funding for the project will come entirely from the council’s own coffers.
It will entail stabilising the rock-face, removing and existing loose debris, putting a mesh covering in place that will be tethered to a retaining wall/fence at its base and the resurfacing and relining of the car-park.
Protective walls will also be installed on either side of the grotto.
“When we initially looked at the project it was felt that the more financially viable option would be to remove the grotto. However, it has been decided to discard that option and keep it in place, ensuring that people have safe access to the grotto,” said the spokesperson.
They said that while every effort would be made to keep at least a portion of the car-park open while the project is ongoing, that may not be possible.
“This something that will have to be finalised once a contractor has been appointed and the full schedule of works agreed.”
Confirmation that works at the carpark are to finally get underway has been welcomed by local Sinn Fein county councillor Melissa Mullane.
“This long-running saga has been dragging on for far too long and I welcome the fact that the works will free up badly needed parking spaces in the town,” said Cllr Mullane.
“I am also pleased to see that the project will also reopen access to the grotto,” she added.