New £1m new roof approved for Larne's Lisgarel Residential Home and Gloucester Park Day Centre
A £1m business case for roof repairs to a care facility in Larne has been approved by the Northern Health and Social Care Trust board.
The proposal relates to backlog maintenance of the flat roof of the Lisgarel / Gloucester Park Day Centre building.
Board members were told at a meeting in Antrim Hospital last week that the capital cost for the replacement roof is estimated at £1,056,730, with expenditure planned across two financial years 2026/27 and 2027/28 with a spend of £236,556 in year one and spend of £820,173 during the latter.
A meeting report said that Lisgarel Residential Home opened in 1976 and can cater for up to 25 residents. In the same building block is Gloucester Park Day Centre which provides day care for up to 35 service users.
The report explained that the roof measuring 3,000m2 covers both facilities and at 50 years of age has reached the end of its expected “service life”.
"Despite continued maintenance investment, the age and condition of the roof mean that defects are becoming increasingly difficult and costly to address effectively. The risk of further deterioration, water penetration, damage to the building fabric and disruption to service delivery is increasing,” the report stated.
It also indicated “a risk of the scheme not being carried out will be further deterioration of the flat roof with the potential for further leaks and increased maintenance costs”.
It also noted that “major deterioration could lead to the decant of the residential home and/or day centre”.
"The proposed roof replacement will provide a long-term, sustainable solution by renewing the weatherproof envelope of the building and reducing the likelihood of future leaks.”
The report also noted that the planned new roof will “incorporate insulation to current building standards, improving the thermal performance and energy efficiency of the building.
"This will reduce heat loss, lower energy consumption, contribute to reduced carbon emissions, and support the Trust’s sustainability and environmental objectives.”
Trust board chair Anne O’Reilly commented: “I am sure there will be staff and people who use the centre who would be pleased to see something positive happening like that.”