Construction BUSINESS

Transport Infrastructure Ireland (TII) has agreed to excavate tunnels deeper into the ground during the construction of the Metrolink to prevent potential damage to city center buildings.

Scheduled to commence next year, the Metrolink project, with an estimated cost between €9 billion and €23 billion, will connect the city’s southside to the airport and beyond.

At a Dublin planning hearing, two companies with properties on the southside raised concerns about the reliability of tunnel plans beneath their buildings. They argued that these plans were based on structures previously present at the sites.

Several tunnels are planned underground, stretching from Ballymun on the northside to Charlemont on the south.

Irish Life and Hines Real Estate contested TII’s damage assessment reports regarding potential risks to their structures, stating that TII’s reports utilized outdated building plans.

TII proposed alterations, including lowering the tunnels further into the ground, to address these concerns.

While TII’s representatives claimed unawareness of changes at the Cadenza building owned by Irish Life, barristers for Irish Life asserted that the approved plans were available online since 2018.

Regarding Hines’ building on St Stephen’s Green, TII indicated modifications to its plans based on recent information received.

Redrawn plans, showing tunnels lowered at least five meters further into the ground, were presented to the companies.

TII committed to publishing updated plans regarding tunnelling under the Cadenza Building on Wednesday.

Separately, concerns were raised by the Office of Public Works (OPW) regarding potential damage to St Stephen’s Green during the construction. TII refuted claims of any demolition in the park.