Sewer scheme will be put back for 12 months

The completion of a £4.1 million programme to upgrade Lisburn’s sewerage system will not take place until next summer, it has been revealed.
By The Newsroom
Published 19th Aug 2015, 08:14 BST
The Railway Brige at Antrim Street which is to be Strenghtened. US0511-117AOThe Railway Brige at Antrim Street which is to be Strenghtened. US0511-117AO
The Railway Brige at Antrim Street which is to be Strenghtened. US0511-117AO

Northern Ireland Water admits that progress has been “much slower than anticipated” and work will have to be deferred until the summer of 2016 to avoid clashing with the return of schools in September.

“Work to replace the existing ‘combined’ sewer, along Antrim Street and Antrim Road between Sans Souci Gardens and Bellevue Drive, with a larger one started at the end of June 2015 with the intention of being complete before the schools in the area started back on August 27,” said a spokesperson. “However, due to unforeseen circumstances, progress has been much slower than anticipated.

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“There is an unexpectedly high concentration of existing utility services in the area we are working in and additional technical challenges and redesign work to minimise the risk of interrupting services to customers has delayed progress on this scheme.”

NI Water outlined how work will proceed. “Work on Antrim Street will continue until August 26 - aiming to reach Bentrim Road by this date - and the road will fully reopen to traffic on Thursday, August 27 when the schools return. Northbound traffic will continue to be diverted via Bachelors Walk, Railway Street, Market Square, Smithfield Street, Hillsborough Road, Governors Road, Longstone roundabout, Thiepval Road and Bentrim Road. Southbound traffic will continue to be diverted via Bentrim Road, Thiepval Road, Laganbank Road, Hillsborough Road and Antrim Street.

“To mitigate traffic disruption, work on Antrim Street and Antrim Road is constrained to school holidays, so it will be necessary to return to complete the sewer laying work during the summer of 2016, with the possibility of work during the 2015 Halloween / mid-term holidays if required. Proposed work to construct a new combined sewer overflow chamber on Antrim Street, close to the entrance to the McKeown Street car park, will also be deferred until the 2016 school summer holidays to tie in with the completion of the Antrim Road sewer.”

Customer queries should be directed to 03457 440088 quoting ‘KT391Lisburn Sewerage Improvements’.

Related topics:LisburnWork