Mayo County Council is submitting a planning application for the Ballina Flood Relief Scheme to An Bord Pleanála for planning consent.
This news has been confirmed this morning by Kevin Moran TD, Minister of State with responsibility for the Office of Public Works (OPW) who says he is pleased to announce that following OPW approval, Mayo County Council is proceeding with a planning application for a flood relief scheme for Ballina and he wishes to acknowledge the support from the community in Ballina that was valuable to inform the design of a scheme for its town, which will protect 297 properties including 228 residential and family homes at risk from flooding.
Ballina experiences regular flooding from the River Moy and its tributaries through a combination of river bank overflow and wall seepage.
In 2018, following the Government’s introduction of Flood Risk Management Plans, Mayo County Council with funding from the OPW appointed RPS engineering and environmental consultants to design a flood relief scheme for Ballina.
The scheme design for Ballina consists of the construction of flood defence walls, construction of embankments and culvert upgrades along the River Moy and the following tributaries, Quignamanger, Bunree, Brusna, Tullyegan and Knockanelo.
Today’s announcement follows Mayo County Council approval from the OPW to proceed to seek planning consent for the Ballina Flood Relief Scheme from An Bord Pleanála having received a foreshore licence from the Maritime Area Regulatory Authority (MARA).
Minister Moran concluded by highlighting the Government is investing €92m in flood risk management across Mayo and that Ballina is one of three flood relief schemes for the county.
A Flood Relief Scheme is already in place in Westport in the Cois Abhainn & Ashwood estates, protecting 36 properties.
A €34m flood relief scheme at Crossmolina has commenced construction by the OPW and will protect 116 properties.
The cost of these schemes will be met from the Government’s commitment to managing Ireland’s flood risk through the €1.3bn for flood relief measures set out in the National Development Plan.
The design of this and all flood relief schemes is future proofed and is adaptable to meet the increasing flood risk from climate change.
In addition to these major schemes, the OPW has approved approximately €2.3m to Mayo County Council under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme for localised flood relief works across 37 other locations in the county.
Minister Moran has been giving more details to Midwest News.
