Nightmare on Main Street for Belmayne residents as works slip to 2024

Sinn Féin Councillor Mícheál Mac Donncha has expressed frustration at further delays hitting the works on Main Street in Belmayne.

The recent meeting of North Central Area Committee were told that the works would be completed at the end of 2023, but has now slipped into February 2024.

“We were previously told the work would be complete and the street opened well before the end of 2023. It is now pushed into the second month of 2024. This is not acceptable,” Mac Donncha said.

The Councillor asked for a report from Council management on the claim that spending on Belmayne Main Street has been 61% over the tender price.

A report from The Sunday Business Post has reported that Belmayne Main Street ended up costing the council €11.9 million – 61% over the original tender price.

“Has the Council been ripped off? Is there a lack of accountability? We need to know the answers because the community in Belmayne has been let down badly with the long delay in completion of the estate,” Mac Donncha said.

A full report has been promised by Dublin City Council management.

Mac Donncha has repeatedly raised the issue with management, saying in October that the delays were “unfair” on residents of Belmayne and were “confusing and unacceptable.”

“How long will this street on which people live be allowed to continue as a builders’ service road?”

“Belmayne is a densely populated area with few amenities. Yet the most basis’ amenity of a Main Street is still tied up in this way,” he said in October.

At the most recent meeting of the Committee, Mac Donncha asked the Manager for an exact timeline for the full opening of Belmayne Main Street and if this can be expedited given the severe disruption caused to the local community and businesses.

The reply stated that ESB Networks are onsite carrying out supply connections to ESB substations and checking associated traffic and public lighting micro-pillars are live, with that particular work due for completion this month, but ensuring that the proper traffic infrastructure is in place will not be in place until February 2024.

The reply noted that the February 2024 deadline was “subject to contractor scheduling,” with the language of the statement implying that further delays may be possible.

Installation of public lighting infrastructure can only commence once ESB works are done, with February 2024 once again given as the new deadline.

The Sunday Business Post reported that the Belmayne project saw its budget balloon well above the original cost, as workers encountered problems with overhead and underground ESB lines.