By Julie Waters
THE clock is ticking to save Kircubbin’s ‘fragile’ harbour from collapsing into the sea as a structural engineer’s report is being compiled to assess the repair works needed.
The harbour has continued to deteriorate in recent years, largely caused by storm damage, with public fears high that it could be lost forever if costly restoration action is not taken soon.
The estimated cost to repair the coastal harbour was £177,350 back in 2016, following the completion of an earlier survey. Repair costs have now risen to a ‘modest calculation’ of at least £236,000. Ards and North Down councillors have now decided to pause further discussion on the future of the harbour until the full structural engineer’s report, including anticipated repair costs, is compiled.
At a recent meeting of the council’s Place and Prosperity Committee, a report from council officers explained the harbour is privately owned however the owner is keen to sell the harbour to the local authority for a ‘nominal consideration’.
However, the council has stated that the structural engineer’s report would have to be completed before it could even consider buying the local landmark.
It is understood that Kircubbin and District Community Association has offered to pay for the survey after the harbour owner declined.
According to the council report, ‘as far as (council) officers are aware, the survey process is ongoing at the harbour and the association will provide the owner with the survey once it has been received’.
Alderman Robert Adair voiced his concerns that ‘time was running out’ for the harbour saying ‘the harbour is in a fragile state’. He praised the efforts of the community association and hoped the structural engineer’s report would be completed soon.
Ards Peninsula councillor Nigel Edmund voiced fears about rising repair costs saying: “We have got to realise the figures that we got nine years ago are not what we are looking at now.”
The DUP councillor said estimated repair costs of £177,350 from 2016 could be expected to rise by at least 33% to around £236,000. He said: “I am just being realistic, it (the repairs) is going to be expensive.”
Newtownards councillor Richard Smart praised the efforts of everyone involved in getting to this stage and also looked forward to the completion of the engineer’s report.
