£120,000 to replace section of Carrickfergus seafront railings, councillors told

Mid and East Antrim councillors were told at a meeting of the borough Council’s Direct Services Committee on Tuesday evening that a section from Fisherman’s Quay towards Eden will be replaced.

Councillors were informed that a tender is being compiled pending approval for funding.

Previously, Knockagh DUP Councillor Marc Collins told members that a 100-metre section of railings between Fisherman’s Quay and Downshire in Carrickfergus “looks terrible by comparison” to the others at Marine Highway and asked for it to be brought to the attention of the Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

Cllr Collins was advised that the railings from Carrickfergus Castle to Fisherman’s Quay are owned by the council and the authority has been looking into ownership of the remaining section.

Meanwhile, the £50k cost of replacement seafront railings at Chaine Memorial Road in Larne will be funded by the DfI with the council taking responsibility for maintenance. There is a similar arrangement in Whitehead where a contract has been awarded for this project.

A tender for the Chaine Memorial Road railings is to be re-advertised, a report to councillors stated.

The railings have a coating which is expected to enable them to be “maintenance free” for 25 years.

Meanwhile, a tender for railings and gates at Legg Park in Carrickfergus has to be re-advertised due to “lack of interest”.

Michelle Weir, Local Democracy Reporter