West Wicklow town centre set for major public realm upgrade as tender for works nears publication

By Hugh O'Farrell Walsh, The Wicklow People

Wicklow County Council says it expects to publish the long-awaited tender for the Baltinglass Rural Regeneration and Development Fund (RRDF) project in the coming weeks, after confirming that final technical queries are still being resolved with its consultants.

The update was delivered at the local authority’s September meeting, where officials were again pressed for clarity on when the project will finally move to the construction stage.

The council received the completed tender documents from their consultants on August 18, but officials said some small anomalies must be addressed before the package can be released.

A meeting between the council and the consultants is scheduled to take place shortly and management said they are hopeful that the outstanding issues can be turned around quickly. Once resolved, the tender will be published and contractors will be invited to bid for the work.

Cllr Pat Mahon stressed that the community is eager to see visible progress. He noted that an update had been promised at the July meeting. Cllr Patsy Glennon said residents are increasingly anxious about the slow pace of the project and pressed for a meaningful update on the project.

The RRDF scheme, which aims to deliver a major public realm upgrade and revitalise the town centre, has been in development for several years and has become one of the most closely watched capital projects in the district.

The council has previously said that delays in large regeneration projects are not unusual, particularly where design changes, audits and compliance requirements are involved.

A quality audit completed last year required adjustments to the layout before the tender could proceed, and the council has emphasised that ensuring accuracy at this stage is essential to avoid complications later in the build.

Despite the frustrations, council official Helena Dennehy confirmed that the tender documents are now largely complete and that only final clarifications remain.

The RRDF scheme for Baltinglass, titled ‘Making Baltinglass the Hub for South West Wicklow’, was first announced with by €2.67 million allocation intended to transform the town centre through public realm improvements, accessibility upgrades and new civic spaces.

Just over €622,000 of the €2.67 million allocation has been drawn down so far, however this is normal for a multi-year capital project that has not yet reached construction.

RRDF money is only released after costs are incurred, meaning low drawdown does not necessarily indicate a lack of progress.