Council seeks more flood plan engagement
The people of Midleton and surrounding areas are being encouraged to have their say on the preferred flood relief project for the area.
The East Cork town has been severely and repeatedly impacted by major flood events over the past 30 years, with 400 homes and 180 businesses currently at serious risk of flooding during future events.
Cork County Council, working with the Office of Public Works, said it commissioned Arup to develop a viable, sustainable and cost-effective flood relief scheme for the Midleton area. It is designed to withstand a 1 in 100 year rainfall flood event as well as 1 in 200 year tidal flooding, the council said.
An emerging preferred option has been identified which took into account public feedback received in 2020, and Cork County Council is now seeking additional public engagement. The open day will be held in the Midleton Park Hotel on Thursday 28 July from 2-8pm.
The Mayor of the County of Cork Cllr Danny Collins is hoping as many people as possible will attend the open day.
He said: “We are delighted with the ongoing public engagement with the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme and we hope that continues at our upcoming public participation day. This is a crucially important project that will directly affect future generations in the Midleton area. This is about mitigating the future risk of flooding.
“Some of the causes of the damaging events in the past have included rainfall, overspill from the Owenacurra and Dungourney Rivers, as well as both tidal and groundwater flooding. Everyone wants to safeguard their homes and businesses from flooding and this is exactly what our consultation process and the proposed flood relief scheme aims to do.”
The emerging preferred option includes upstream storage, public realm works, direct defences and groundwater control measures. It takes various constraints and opportunities that exist in Midleton into account and allows for integration of the scheme with various other Cork County Council schemes.
Chief Executive of Cork County Council Tim Lucey said: “More than 60 submissions were received in 2020 in relation to the various options presented, but the submissions also highlighted wider concerns about climate change and natural flood management which have been taken on board.
“On 28 July, our teams will be on hand to answer questions and then, following this round of public consultation, additional submissions received will be incorporated into the scheme design where possible. The planning application documents will then be prepared where there will also be future opportunities to make submissions.”
More information is available at midletonfrs.ie.