Council offered safety advice on town hall
Thursday, 10 July 2008
LIMAVADY Borough Council has been told that extra work may be needed to prevent the town hall from becoming a danger, the Northern Constitution can reveal.
Belfast-based Engineering consultants Consarc have advised Technical chiefs at the town's council offices that further construction work needs to be carried out as the time limit for it's temporary metal support ran out this year.
The conserved front, located on the town's Main Street, was originally saved from demolition by councillors in 2005 after plans to build a multi-million pound Civic Centre were proposed. The front of the hall was saved by architectural teams drafted in by the council, so it could become the 'new' face of the focal centre.
A steel structure was erected to support the lone standing front but due to the escalating costs of the project, and a long running battle over access, the council are yet undecided on the Civic Centre plans and the structure's future.
Head of Technical Services at Limavady Borough Council, Noel Crawford says that the council had received advice on the possibility that further work will need to be carried out on the Main Street building.
“We have received a recommendation from our consultants that additional work may be required on the temporary steel structure. The council will of course be acting on that. But the information that we have received would not suggest it is dangerous," said Mr Crawford.
He continued: "There are no plans at present to take down the facade; the steel structure was designed initially to stay in place for three years as it was thought building work would be well progressed by this stage. But due to the rising cost of the project and access issues, this has not happened. Hopefully by the end of the summer the future of the facade will be clearer."
