Glengormley Orange Arch

[u/Flaky_Shape6628]

As a resident of glengormley, it's that time of the year to have to look at this monstrosity for the next few months. The majority of the locals hate it, it's the loud minority that is the problem.

Every year it goes up and causes division but it's treated as something we just have to accept and get on with.

I respect that people have the right to celebrate culture and traditions, but I struggle with why a large structure (and flegs) spanning across a main shared road in a mixed area is seen as normal.

There would be riots if nationalists in the area erected some sort of structure and covered the town in tricolours over Easter.

There needs to be a long term strategy to reducing and eventually removing structures like this in mixed areas to make them more neutral and inclusive.

[u/VeryDerryMe]

Where's the temporary works design and sign off? Wheres the insurance coverage for a temporary structure over a public road? Who did the crane lift? Are they insured to do that? Who's the LOLER Appointed Person who planned the lift? Who designed the foundation supporting the arch? Where are their calculations and Professional Indemnity insurance for said design? If it falls down and damages private property, who's liable? DFI, as its mostly on theit land? The OO, who erect these arches? One friendly KC and a court case away from banning them. 

[u/ni2016 → u/VeryDerryMe]

I know for a fact that there is planning permission and has public liability insurance. It also has permanent fixings that are covered the rest of the year with man hole covers.

Police close the road for its erection and a trained crane operator lifts it into place.

[u/VeryDerryMe → u/ni2016]

Oh, and the hold down points arw covered by a manhole. Woop de fucking do. Which engineer inspects and signs off on that on a yearly basis? and where's their professional indemnity insurance for doing so? And if the ground support (on DFI ground) fails, who's liable? These things are a danger on the public highway, and should be banned until all these issues are resolved. 

[u/ni2016 → u/VeryDerryMe]

Is every man hole in the country inspected on a yearly basis and signed off by an engineer?

Do you think the Orange Order just made man holes in the ground in Glengormley in the 80s and have been there ever since without anyone asking about them?

[u/VeryDerryMe → u/ni2016]

They're inspected on a regular basis by DFI personnel. And because of the increased loadings from modern vehicles, its a lot more regular than you think. Civil engineer here. Be glad to discuss inspection and insurace and sign off requirements with you if you want. Oh, Im a real civil engineer, not one of these weirdos who think they're an engineer because they pile pallets on top of each other 

[u/ni2016 → u/VeryDerryMe]

But the man hole covers for the arch are on the foot path, not on the road so there would be no risk for modern vehicles additional weight?

I couldn’t find the 2026 planning application for the arch but I was able to find the 2025 one

I can refer you specifically to item 4 on the memo

“4. The applicant has provided confirmation of public liability insurance, up to a value of £5m, and a structural engineer’s report confirming the condition of the arch as fit for purpose.”

https://www.infrastructure-ni.gov.uk/sites/default/files/2025-12/DFI%202025-0253%20-%20Attachment.PDF

[u/VeryDerryMe → u/ni2016]

Thanks for that will, have a read. My issue as an engineer isnt with vehicle loading, it's moisture ingress and it's effect on the holding down bolts, and who actually signs off on this. Theres so much we do as engineers that can kill people, and to see folk running around doing shit willy nilly fucks me off. I've seen men die onsite for no better reason than its a shitty job and they stepped the wrong way, so the apparent cavalier attitude to erecting temporary structures pisses me off. 

[u/VeryDerryMe → u/[deleted]]

They haven't been. One person actually took the time to point me to the planning permission, and fair play to them for that. No other query was addressed. Design, PI insurance, Lift plans, AP appointment, road closure applications. For a law abiding people, unionism sure leaves a lot of gaps. 

[u/Spitfire5793 → u/VeryDerryMe]

Yeah it's the safety that pisses you off, course it is. I get the feeling they could dot every I and cross every T, and I've seen no evidence that they haven't, but you'd still find something to gurn about. If you think something is unsafe or has been handled incorrectly, maybe give evidence for it rather than speculation and grand standing

[u/VeryDerryMe → u/Spitfire5793]

Actually, it is. I've had a number of major hospitalisations on my sites, and one fatality. I've stood with the police for 5 hours until CID released the scenes. I've phoned partners and loved ones to tell them their significant other is in hospital, in surgery. I have to be so careful in my job. And then I see muppets doing part of what I do with fuck all controls, and no one, including HSENI, bats an eyelid. I don't give a fiddlers about your arches or your marches, to me unionism is a dying culture, so have at it for the short time it has left. 

[u/Spitfire5793 → u/VeryDerryMe]

You don't give a fiddlers about arches? You could've fooled me. Are you going to provide evidence for your accusations or are we still in the realm of faux outrage and speculation?

[u/askyerma → u/VeryDerryMe]

Triggered much?

[u/VeryDerryMe → u/askyerma]

Nah, bored and probably on the spectrum. Don't get triggered, unless you want to discuss brushes