Six tonnes of asbestos removed from ‘very poor’ West Gate House
Six tonnes of asbestos have been removed from West Gate House in Drogheda during initial works at the building, councillors were told at this week’s meeting of Drogheda Borough District.
The update came after Cllr Pio Smith requested a progress report on the long-awaited €10m redevelopment of the historic town-centre building and asked whether a completion date had been set.
Senior Engineer John O’Hagan said the project remains in its early stages, with the design team currently undertaking a detailed structural assessment.
“It is in very poor shape, to say the least,” he told members.
The meeting heard that significant structural issues have already been identified, particularly in the older sections of the building where floors were found to be failing. As a result, suspended floors have had to be installed.
Initial works saw the removal of six tonnes of asbestos from the former Drogheda Youth Development (DYD) building on the site.
“There is a lot of work going on at the moment just in getting the detailed design done,” he said, adding that contractors are “paring back the old plasterboard to see what issues are behind on the original walls.”
He added: “We may have to go in and do remedial works straight away, as it is in such poor order,” he said.
Despite the challenges, the council is working towards issuing tenders for the main construction contract in September, with a projected completion date of mid-2028.
During the discussion, Cllr Kevin Callan raised concerns about the building’s proximity to Drogheda’s historic town walls and queried whether any “de-listing” of part of the building will have to be done.
Mr O’Hagan said the local authority has been liaising closely with the Department of Heritage throughout the project.
He told councillors that, to date, no physical evidence of the town walls has been uncovered on the site. As the original walls may be lower than the West Gate building, it will likely not be necessary to remove or alter any protected structure designations as part of the works.
Once complete, West Gate House is set to become a major cultural and community hub for Drogheda.
Plans for the development include exhibition and performance spaces, artist studios, digital media facilities, and meeting rooms aimed at supporting creative and community activities in the town.
The project has received a €7 million allocation under the national THRIVE funding scheme, with Louth County Council expected to cover the remaining costs.
Cllr Smith also asked whether additional THRIVE funding opportunities might arise to support the regeneration of other historic buildings in Drogheda. “We have a building just down the road which is council owned, and I wonder if it could be considered for future funding,” he said.
Officials confirmed that there are currently no open calls under the THRIVE scheme, but said any future funding opportunities would be monitored.