Trim street will not be 'opened up" for five years

Works to reconstruct Trim"s High Street are continuing, though the builders holidays means that just a skeleton crew is operating. High Street is the latest street in the heritage town to be given a facelift as part of the town council"s €5m street reconstruction project. Work on the street to date has concentrated on the upgrading of the water mains, which requires deep excavation, and the laying of ducting for services. After the builders" holidays, it is expected that work will commence on laying the road"s new surface, with the final stage being the reconstruction of pavements. Councillors have previously stated that, once the roads are completed, they will not be granting any licences to service providers to allow them open up the roads again for five years. The original contract for High Street was due to be completed by 5th September but works were a week late starting. It is not yet known if this will impact on the completion date. The contractors are due to meet with council officials later this week to update them on progress. When High Street is completed, the next street to be reconstructed will be Loman Street. Tenders are currently being assessed and it is expected that work will begin in October. Meanwhile, tender documents are currently being prepared for the Summerhill Road and Newhaggard Road, which will follow Loman Street in the Trim street works restoration programme. It is expected that work on those streets will begin in spring of 2009. Local councillors decided to borrow €5m for the reconstruction project and to finance the loan through parking fees. Paid parking was introduced in the town in July 2006. The first street to be upgraded as part of the reconstruction project was Castle Street, followed by Bridge Street, Haggard Street, Mill Street and the Kells and Athboy Roads. The opening of Finnegan"s Way was also part of the extensive project. The service contract for the installation of water mains and foul sewers for the new town centre/OPW development is also progressing and the laying of the new road to the OPW headquarters is part of streets project. It is expected that, once this new road is completed, the council is to get valuations on its remaining site in the area with a view to putting it on the market. Councillors have expressed concerns that work has not yet started on the new town centre development, which includes an anchor supermarket, 21 retail units, a bar/café, crèche, offices and 144 apartments at Townspark South, Trim. While work on the striking new OPW building is on target, Shaston Contracting has not yet commenced work on the new town centre despite being granted planning permission by An Bord Pleanala following an appeal last October. Councillors have called on the town council to offer its remaining site for another supermarket chain to bring in competition to the town.