Strabane Flood Alleviation Scheme to begin this month

INFRASTRUCTURE Minister John O’Dowd has said an ‘interim solution’ to recent flooding in the Ballycolman Estate is to begin this month.

Last week, Minister O’Dowd had a tense meeting with residents in the Ballycolman Estate, and pledged to bring forward the required work to prevent the flooding of homes in the area.

During a fiery exchange with residents at the bottom of the Ballycolman in the middle of last week, Minister O’Dowd would not be drawn on a time-frame for remedial works to begin on flood prevention measures, despite local homes and businesses yet again bearing the brunt of seasonal rains.

This has since changed, and the Minister has now committed to beginning an interim solution this month.

Minister O’Dowd said, “Following my visit, I wrote to the Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey seeking her department’s approval in connection with a short-term solution being actively progressed in conjunction with Derry City and Strabane District Council (DC&SDC).

“The short-term intervention to provide flood relief to the houses under threat of flooding requires the temporary use of DC&SDC lands and this required approval from the Department for Communities.

“I am pleased to announce that Minister Hargey has granted my department and the council permission to facilitate access to the lands and this will allow progression of the works in advance of the formal completion of the legal agreement.

“My officials and council officials will progress the signing of the legal agreement in parallel with these works so that it will be in place upon completion of, or shortly after, the short term solution is in place. I can also confirm that my department is in a position to commence these construction works later his month and this will considerably reduce the risk of in-house flooding to properties at Ballycolman.

“I also fully recognise the need to introduce viable longer term solutions as swiftly as possible to reduce the impacts of further flooding.

“That is why my department is taking forward, where possible, a number of flood alleviation proposals in various locations  across the north, including Drumahoe, Eglinton and Derry City.”

Strabane Sinn Féin councillor, Michaela Boyle, has welcomed the announcement by John O Dowd and has called it “fantastic news.”

She said, “This is fantastic news, which will be met with great relief by the long suffering residents at the bottom of the Ballycolman Estate who have  been repeatedly flooded over recent years.

“John O Dowd has kept to his word!

“When he visited the Ballycolman last Tuesday and met with the residents affected, he committed to do everything in his power to prioritise the delivery of this short-term term flood alleviation scheme.

“Just over a week later, the DFI Minister has delivered on what he said he would do, and ensured that the outstanding statutory and legal processes have been expedited to enable this scheme to begin this month, which will considerably reduce the risk of in-house flooding to properties at Ballycolman.

“I also welcome the Minister’s acknowledgement of the need to introduce viable longer term solutions as swiftly as possible to reduce the impacts of further flooding.”