Eyesore Larne roundabout is in line for a facelift

With a global TV audience of 250 million watching one of the world’s premier sporting events passing through the borough on May 10, the local authority is determined to show off the area at its best.

And the rundown roundabout has been identified as a weakness.

The council had suggested that soil from excavations along the A8 roadworks could be used to fill in the derelict space in the middle of the roundabout, but at a recent meeting, Cllr Mark McKinty complained that the traffic feature remained an embarrassment.

“Given the progress with the works on the A8, and the previous agreement to use some soil produced by these works to improve the Redlands roundabout, when can we expect to finally see some progress on this eyesore, which sits beside one of the main entrance/exits points in Larne?” he asked council officials.

He was told that A8 construction consortium Lagan Ferrovial and Costain had given a commitment to undertake the work and council officers had been in contact since to press upon them the urgency of completing the project. Emails had been exchanged and verbal assurances sought that the roundabout scheme would be completed this spring.

The latest indication from the consortium was that the scheme would be finished by the end of April, in the hope that it would be green in time for the Giro.

Meanwhile, Cllr Gregg McKeen suggested that excess soil from works at the Wellington Rec pitch might be used. Officials agreed to investigate.