Birchwood Manor Gets The Green Light For Resurfing

Carla Lockhart MP • April 16, 2024

Over 15 years of a defective surface has been the cause of great frustration by the residents of Birchwood Manor. A relatively small development on the edge of The Birches village has been the subject of a long running dispute over resurfacing and the upgrade of the sewers. This was a site which was taken into the banks management during the difficult years in the housing crash. The homes are beautiful family homes for many long-term residents but the surface of the development was never completed with the final wearing course and the sewers/pumping station remaining incomplete.

Speaking having received official confirmation from DFI Roads that the resurfacing works will commence in approximately two weeks following the completion of the Northway resurfacing Carla Lockhart MP said, “this was a personal priority of mine, and I am absolutely delighted to have assisted in getting this over the line and receiving this confirmation today. The history of this site is mirrored throughout Northern Ireland and the unfinished nature is because of the major Housing crash in the early 2000’s. I have been working with the Bank, DFI, NIW and the developer in a bid to have this area resurfaced. Having made significant progress last year with the joining of bonds I was disappointed in recent months to have been informed that this could no longer happen and that only half of the site would be resurfaced. I obviously said this wasn’t acceptable and lobbied hard for this not to be the case and for DFI to complete the entire site. I am pleased that they have stepped up and I can confirm that the whole site will be resurfaced and brought up to adoption standards,

I am pleased that we will not have the problem of raised manholes, rough surfaces and potholes in the future however, there remains an outstanding issue with pumping station which I am continuing to work on with NIW and the developer.

When I became an MLA and during my time as MP I made this a priority and genuinely want to thank residents for their patience and DFI for their efforts in this regard. I look forward to seeing the works commence in the very near future.”

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