Mica not a knownissue in Derry area: Council Building Control chief
The Head of Building Control at Derry City and Strabane District Council, Frank Morrison, has confirmed the local authority is unaware of any Derry homes affected by concrete blocks containing the notorious mineral '˜muscovite mica'.
Mr. Morrison told members of the council’s Environment and Regeneration Committee that Building Control had received no reports of the widespread pattern cracking that has plagued neighbouring Donegal. The apparent all clear came after a report commissioned by the southern Department of Housing, Planning, Community and Local Government found the cracking reported in Inishowen was primarily due to the excessive amount of mica contained in aggregate used to manufacture concrete blocks. The ‘Report of the Expert Panel on Concrete Blocks’ found that at least 1,200 homes in Donegal were affected.