Costs rise for Ballynahinch by-pass

Costs rise for Ballynahinch by-pass

7 March 2012 - by David Telford

A FLYOVER which has to be constructed as part of the proposed Ballynahinch by-pass will cost £2.5m, it has emerged.

Stormont Regional Development Minister Danny Kennedy confirmed the cost of the scheme at the Crossgar Road during a meeting last week with South Down Assemblyman Jim Wells and Ballynahinch councillor Garth Craig.

During the meeting, Mr. Kennedy informed the politicians that the Department of Regional Development (DRD) still hopes work on the £45m by-pass can start in the 2014/15 financial year.

Mr. Wells said it was also confirmed during the meeting that design work on the by-pass linking the Belfast and Newcastle roads is continuing.

“The issue of public consultation is being addressed and while there could well be a public inquiry, it is not thought that it will hold back the project,” the MLA continued.

“There will have to be

a flyover at the Crossgar Road that will cost an

additional £2.5m and that, along with other rising costs, has now pushed the estimated bill to approximately £45m.”

Mr. Wells said the DRD is committed to completing the scheme within the 2015 timeframe, adding: “Delays in traffic movement in Ballynahinch are intolerable and it’s essential the by-pass is finished.”

Councillor Craig said design work on the by-pass could take up to two years to complete, with the process including environmental assessments.

“The Minister said public consultations will continue to ensure the scheme would be ‘on the starting grid’ when finance would become available,” he added.

Last January, Mr. Kennedy confirmed the route of the two-mile by-pass had been formally approved following a public consultation and exhibition of the proposed scheme.

The Minister said the Roads Service had considered the views of the public and approved the preferred line of the scheme.

Mr. Kennedy said the preferred line was decided after consideration of comprehensive environmental, engineering and economic assessments as well as

comments from the public and subsequent representations, including requests for a junction at the Crossgar Road.

Construction work on the scheme involves substantial earthworks and in addition to the flyover at the Crossgar Road, the Roads Service has confirmed that other “substantial structures” will be required at the Moss Road and to cross the Ballynahinch River.