Two Dunmurry tower blocks could be pulled down in a fraction of an “18 month” time frame amid years of demolition delays.

The Northern Ireland Housing Executive (NIHE) high rise flats are now predicted to be “completely gone” by the end of the year after work to demolish began on July 21.

Both Coolmoyne and Rathmoyne towers in Seymour Hill are now being torn down at the same time despite earlier indications by the NIHE chief executive of a “phased” process.

Councillor Jonathan Craig said: “The towers at Seymour Hill are coming down much faster than anyone expected.

Work has begun to demolish Seymour Hill tower blocks. Pic credit: LDRS

placeholder image — Work has begun to demolish Seymour Hill tower blocks. Pic credit: LDRS

“Literally within the next number of weeks both of them will be down, this is due to new techniques the demolition people are using.”

The towers will form part of a £308m NIHE Tower Block Action Plan, aimed at replacing ageing tower blocks with new homes in the wake of the Grenfell fire disaster in 2017 when 72 people tragically lost their lives.

Councillor Craig added: “It was originally expected for them to be taken down floor by floor and to take up to a year and a half, thankfully those predictions were wrong.

“They started with the back tower last week and this week they began with the front tower and it looks as if there is about a third of each tower down now already.

“I was speaking to the area manager earlier in the week and he reckons prior to Christmas the contractor will be off the site and the flats completely gone.”

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The NIHE was due to begin the process to pull down the Seymour Hill buildings in July 2023, but faced huge delays including for asbestos removal and legal proceedings over telecom masts.

During a Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council meeting in 2024, the then NIHE chief executive Grainia Long told the chamber: “I think it is important to realise that we probably won’t be taking both down at the same time, but it will be phased and it will probably be Coolmoyne first."

The Local Democracy Reporting Service contacted the NIHE for an update.

A spokesperson said: "We are pleased with the progress of work at this site and all safety protocols remain in place.”