Progress Report - 31/10/10

How The Work Is Actually Progressing

On 6th October FQPR Chairman was invited by Minister Phil Gawne to a short briefing on how "de Minimus" was progressing and to discuss the timetable for Stabilisation & Protection of the Pier.

Minister Gawne stated he fully understood our concerns about 'slippage' and was himself aware of such things. He does keep an eye on such matters and whilst some slippage may be inevitable the instances will be few and far between. In his words "we are too far down the line to stop now and subject to Planning consent and funding the work will proceed in 2011."

Briefly it seems most projects are 'staged' with ten stages. We were at Stage 3 with preliminary sketches being due on 30th September. (this on 6th October????)

First two stages were appointments etc.

BWB are appointed consultant engineers, Dalrymples and Holmes Grace partnership are also involved in some capacity.

Stage 4 is detailed design with Planning application due to be submitted by 31st October.

Stage 5. is Quantities and Materials assessment etc.

Stage 6 is to put the matter out to tender for the engineering work prior to requesting cash from Tynwald. (Feb/March 2011)

Stage 7. Construction. Scheduled to start in spring of 2011.

He was confident that we should have got de minimus out of the way before the end of 2011 and expressed a willingness to keep Friends fully informed at regular intervals.

At the time of writing (30th October) Registered Building Consent is in course of being applied for next week so this more or less gells with Stage 4 in the timetable above. At a planning meeting we were also advised by Consultants that everything is on track for work to commence at the time of the Equinoctal Spring tides in early April 2011.

I have to say it is so refreshing to be able to write in this positive vein after so many years of head banging frustration!!