Site office ‘safe’ despite erosion fears

A construction company has located its site office on a sea-view balcony 25 metres above rocks, despite the location being closed to the public over fears of collapse.

Cumnor Construction Ltd, Blarney, engaged by Joda Engineering Consultants, Cork, has begun a €200,000 restoration project on an eight metre section of wall at Moll Goggin’s Corner, close to Youghal’s Front Strand.

The work is expected to take up to four months.

The wall collapsed onto the rocks in May 2012. Stabilisation work was conducted, also costing €200,000, last year but the area, on the main access route between the town and strand, has remained under single lane traffic management since the collapse.

Two nearby viewing balconies have been fenced off for more than five years. While one closure pertains to an eroding iron beam, the second was closed in 2008 because of fears of the impact of erosion on the area.

In 2009, following a period of frost and persistent rain, Cork County Council conducted a survey on the second structure and found it had further deteriorated “possibly due to surface water from somewhere”.

Youghal Mayor Sammy Revins said he was stunned to see the construction firm locate a portacabin office on this condemned balcony. “I can’t see the logic in placing the portacabin there and I’d be particularly concerned that opening it during the reconstruction would entice children to enter it.”

He also added that “there is the additional danger that any collapse could fracture the road”.

Youghal Town engineer Paul Murray expressed his concern both to Cork County Council and Joda Engineering.

A spokesman for Cumnor Engineering says the company is “perfectly satisfied that the balcony is safe” for their usage.

A roads engineer for Cork County Council agrees that the area “is unsafe to the public and will remain closed until it is either repaired or removed”.

However the engineer advises that Joda Engineering are “experts in landslide, rock anchoring and subsidence,” while Cumnor are “experts on land erosion health and safety on construction sites.”

The spokesman adds that while “all construction sites have prohibited access to the public, workers have the training and proper equipment to enter them.”