O’CONNELL STREET WORKS DELAYED
New design ideas push works back to end of 2018
WORKS on O’Connell Street in Sligo town centre have been delayed by another six months at least.
The Enhancement Scheme which was due to start in the coming weeks won’t begin now until the end of the year.
Member of Sligo Municipal District Councillor Declan Bree reacted with a mixture of dismay and acceptance to the delay.
He said the revised proposals should be brought before stakeholders “as soon as possible.”
O’Connell Street café owner Des Faul said the new design ideas could be good as there was no one “look” for Sligo town.
NEW design ideas for the O’Connell Street Enhancement Scheme have delayed the start of the works by another six or seven months.
Councillor Declan Bree, who sought an update on the project at yesterday’s meeting of Sligo Municipal District was told the news by Director of Services Tom Kilfeather.
He told Cllr Bree that urban landscape architect firm BDP, which was commissioned by County Planners, had made new recommendations about the design and enhancement of O’Connell Street in a report on the public realm of the street.
Consultants for the project O’Connor Sutton Cronin, are now examining how the public realm recommendations can be incorporated into their existing design.
Works were meant to start on the project this April or May but now will be delayed until later this year.
“We would hope that late 2019 would remain an achievable date for completion,” said Mr Kilfeather.
“I’m disappointed work won’t be starting in April or May however I appreciate the revised proposals. It’s very important they are brought before the necessary people as soon as possible,” said Cllr Bree. Council Chief Executive Ciarán Hayes said that while the delay was “unfortunate” but for the sake of a few months, they were “right to take on board the recommondations of the public realm report. Sligo will be the better for it.” Cllr Hubert Keaney also said he was disappointed but accepted the delay. CEO of Sligo Chamber Aidan Doyle said the pre-planning with BDP had “some very good recommendations.”