Latest news with #StormCiarán
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Downpatrick flood scheme could cost over £20m
A study commissioned by the Department for Infrastructure has recommended building a £20m flood prevention scheme in Downpatrick. The town was hit by serious flooding in November 2023 after a prolonged spell of rain in Northern Ireland. The engineers' report suggests a scheme involving culverts, embankments and pumps. The infrastructure minister said further work would be undertaken to determine whether the scheme would be economically viable. Liz Kimmins added: "Flooding in Downpatrick - and how to reduce that flood risk - is an extremely complex issue with many variables. "That is why it was important that a comprehensive study was carried out to inform the most viable and effective way ahead." The study, produced by engineering consultancy Amey, considered 14 possible schemes. These were reduced to a shortlist of two, which were considered technically viable. The preferred option would offer flood protection to 78 businesses and 28 homes. The total estimated cost of £22.5m includes maintenance costs of around £2m. A cost-benefit analysis suggests the scheme would prevent flood damage, which would cost around £26m to repair. The study cautions that what is proposed is a "complex scheme" and that given the risks and unknowns at this stage, it may become economically unviable as work on the design proceeds. It concludes: "Further investigations are recommended prior to detailed design to mitigate some of these key risks and confirm economic viability through a business case." Mal McGrady is the chairman of the Downpatrick regeneration working group, he said action needs to be taken now before flooding happens again. "We can't rely on chance... we have to have preventative measures in place... we need infrastructure changes in place to make sure this never happens again." He said the experts, the feasibility study and report should show how the damage from flooding has happened. "Reports will have set out and will set out what caused this or what potential accumulation of events caused this." After speaking with the Infrastructure minister, Mr McGrady said the costing of the scheme is coming out at "£22 odd million". He said the concern with that number is where the money will be found. He added that the unspent funding was not an option: "My understanding is that that (funding) has already been redistributed to other ministerial portfolios and has probably been spent at this stage, so we are probably looking at new money." by Barra Best, BBC News NI weather presenter Homes and businesses in Downpatrick were left underwater when Storm Ciarán hit in November 2023. The town centre and surrounding areas suffered severe flooding following weeks of heavy rainfall, with Market Street and low-lying parts of the town particularly hard hit. Floodwater was made worse by high spring tides that prevented the River Quoile from discharging into Strangford Lough, which would have helped lower flood levels. Downpatrick has suffered similar flooding incidents in the past. The commissioned study highlighted the need to protect sensitive habitats around Stangford Lough, as well as archaeological and historic sites in Downpatrick. With climate change expected to increase the frequency and severity of flooding, the Downpatrick Flood Alleviation Scheme, if it proceeds, could prove a critical step towards safeguarding the town's homes, businesses, and heritage. It comes after Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said on Thursday that updated legislation for water and flood management would be a "major step forward". The NI Executive has approved bringing the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill to the assembly which, Kimmins said, would help "meet the needs of our growing population and adapt to changing weather patterns". 'We had three months of no customers after floods' 'My shop stock is just floating about after flood' Work begins to clear Downpatrick floodwater 'Footfall has dropped significantly since flood' Flooding has 'ripped the heart' out of Downpatrick
BBC News
4 days ago
- Business
- BBC News
Downpatrick flood prevention scheme could cost £20m
A study commissioned by the Department for Infrastructure has recommended building a £20m flood prevention scheme in town was hit by serious flooding in November 2023 when Storm Ciarán brought exceptionally heavy rain to Northern engineers' report suggests a scheme involving culverts, embankments and infrastructure minister said further work would be undertaken to determine whether the scheme would be economically viable. Liz Kimmins added: "Flooding in Downpatrick - and how to reduce that flood risk - is an extremely complex issue with many variables."That is why it was important that a comprehensive study was carried out to inform the most viable and effective way ahead."The study, produced by engineering consultancy Amey, considered 14 possible were reduced to a shortlist of two, which were considered technically preferred option would offer flood protection to 78 businesses and 28 total estimated cost of £22.5m includes maintenance costs of around £2m.A cost-benefit analysis suggests the scheme would prevent flood damage, which would cost around £26m to study cautions that what is proposed is a "complex scheme" and that given the risks and unknowns at this stage, it may become economically unviable as work on the design concludes: "Further investigations are recommended prior to detailed design to mitigate some of these key risks and confirm economic viability through a business case." Analysis: Floods expected to get more frequent and severe by Barra Best, BBC News NI weather presenterHomes and businesses in Downpatrick were left underwater when Storm Ciarán hit in November town centre and surrounding areas suffered severe flooding following weeks of heavy rainfall, with Market Street and low-lying parts of the town particularly hard hit. Floodwater was made worse by high spring tides that prevented the River Quoile from discharging into Strangford Lough, which would have helped lower flood has suffered similar flooding incidents in the past. The commissioned study highlighted the need to protect sensitive habitats around Stangford Lough, as well as archaeological and historic sites in climate change expected to increase the frequency and severity of flooding, the Downpatrick Flood Alleviation Scheme, if it proceeds, could prove a critical step towards safeguarding the town's homes, businesses, and comes after Infrastructure Minister Liz Kimmins said on Thursday that updated legislation for water and flood management would be a "major step forward".The NI Executive has approved bringing the Water, Sustainable Drainage and Flood Management Bill to the assembly which, Kimmins said, would help "meet the needs of our growing population and adapt to changing weather patterns".
The Courier
23-05-2025
- General
- The Courier
Why £2 million 'race against time' to save St Andrews Harbour's historic pier from disaster continues
St Andrews Harbour Trust trustee Douglas Mundie is no stranger to innovative solutions. The 72-year-old St Andrews University graduate can claim a quirky but globally recognisable success: he led the team that developed the world's first squeezy tomato ketchup bottle, securing Heinz's inaugural order for 18 million of them in 1985. It's fitting, then, that the restoration of the storm-ravaged medieval pier at St Andrews Harbour – which reopened on April 30 – has demanded similarly inventive thinking and sheer determination. Douglas, alongside fellow trustee Ken Sweeney and a small band of committed volunteers, has been at the heart of monumental efforts to repair the historic pier and chart a sustainable future for the centuries-old harbour. The pier was triumphantly reopened with the return of one of the university town's most iconic traditions: the Gaudie. An estimated 2000 red-gowned St Andrews students processed along the newly repaired pier with flaming torches. They honoured John Honey, a student who, in 1800, saved sailors from a shipwreck near the harbour's entrance. But despite the celebrations and the photogenic symbolism, the work is far from done. While £1 million of repairs have been carried out so far, major engineering repairs to restore the pier's connection to the cliffs remain unfunded, requiring a further £2 million. With major grant applications underway, it is thought that a funding gap of around £500,000 will remain – and the clock is ticking. The urgency stems from the unprecedented damage wrought by back-to-back 'risk to life' storms in late 2023 – Storm Babet in late October and Storm Ciarán just over a week later. Together, they battered the harbour infrastructure, scoured the seabed, destroyed sluice gates and undermined the very integrity of the pier structure. Ken Sweeney, 69, a retired PE teacher and former St Andrews coastguard with deep family ties to the harbour, recalls the impact vividly. 'Basically, the harbour got weakened by the first storm then hit by the second,' he explains. 'The lock gates got driven from their resting position by a spate effectively and then bounced around by the swell in harbour. That was Storm Babet. 'That meant we had no control of the water in the harbour. We couldn't un-silt it without the gates. We did manage to re-open after a week thanks to a local farmer digging out the sand. 'But then the second storm, from the same north-easterly angle, bombarded the base of the pier along its full length – particularly at the pier landfall. 'It was like a washing machine scouring it out. The road was on its way if no remedial actions were taken, and the cliff and path down was at risk too. It still is!' The storms exposed the fragility of a pier structure whose original foundations date to the 14th century, built and rebuilt over generations. Capping stones from 1900 were lifted off like pebbles. Waves penetrated the twin rows of stonework, blasting out rubble infill with hydraulic force. Emergency intervention from Fife Council bought some time, with £100,000 of rock armour installed to prevent further cliff erosion and road collapse at the pier landfall. The Scottish Government's Marine Scotland Emergency Fund contributed £360,000 to urgent harbour gate repairs. But the trust – working closely with Historic Environment Scotland, Fife Council and Lochgelly-based Realm Construction, part of the Purvis Group – also has the pier's A-Listed status to consider. 'We used oak double-fired wedges, carefully hammered into the stone joints,' explains Douglas. 'It's a traditional method with modern precision – the wedges swell with moisture to hold stones tight. 'We also repointed the pier nose, tidied the west wall, repaired the picnic area and even restored the smaller pier.' Tidal work schedules meant stonemasons worked unseen, often on the seaward side of the pier. Hard work meant the pier re-opened earlier than planned. Still, danger remains. The repairs completed so far have stabilised the pier, but the structure's landward connection – known as the landfall – remains highly vulnerable. Without the final phase of work, future storms could undo everything. 'Rock armour is in place, but it's temporary,' warns Douglas. 'Another winter like 2023, and we could lose the whole end section again. That would be catastrophic.' Permission has recently been given to use concrete on the seaward side of the landfall to give better protection. However, this brings different engineering challenges. The final phase – the rebuilding of the landfall, the reinstatement of the historic slipway, and long-term reinforcement of the surrounding cliff – carries an estimated cost of £2 million. The hope lies with two major funding bids: £1 million from the Heritage Lottery Fund and £500,000 from Historic Environment Scotland. If successful, these grants would leave a remaining gap of £500,000 – a sum the trust believes it can raise through community efforts and local donors. But time is short. 'We'd need to start work in spring 2026 to be finished by that winter,' says Douglas. 'Any later, and we risk being caught out by another storm season.' The University of St Andrews, whose students have helped fundraise and whose imagery often features the pier, has contributed £2,000 from its Community Fund and helped connect the trust to alumni networks. The student-run Kate Kennedy Club, which organises the Gaudie Walk, has pledged funds from its upcoming centenary campaign. In total, nearly £20,000 has been raised by the student community. However, the harbour trust would quietly welcome more direct financial support from the university itself. This comes at a time when the higher education sector faces significant funding challenges of its own. A spokesperson from the University of St Andrews said: 'The university has supported St Andrews Harbour Trust both financially, and in kind. 'We connected the trust to our alumni networks, and the University Community Fund donated £2,000 to the trust's pier appeal. 'To date the fund has supported 177 charities and organisations across Fife, including the harbour trust, with a total of £280,920. The university commits a core donation of £30,000 a year to the fund. 'Social responsibility is one of our core values…and we remain committed to supporting the harbour trust wherever possible.' Historic Environment Scotland describes St Andrews Harbour as of 'outstanding importance' in Scotland, as recognised through its category A listing. It has offered advice on sympathetic repairs in keeping with the historic character. However, the situation also highlights the growing need to better understand and respond to the impact of climate change on historic coastal infrastructure. St Andrews Harbour Trust's ambition goes beyond emergency work. Plans include a new café with upper-floor harbour trust offices and exhibition space, housed in a cantilevered structure that accounts for the fragile quay wall. Leisure pontoons have already revitalised the inner harbour. Seven working fishing boats remain active, vital for income and Marine Scotland support. The reopened pier is a triumph. But there's little doubt the harbour's long-term survival depends on securing the next wave of funding and completing the final phase of restoration before nature strikes again. You can donate at St Andrews Harbour Trust.
BBC News
19-05-2025
- General
- BBC News
Investigation work set to begin on Jersey's Gorey Pier
"Intrusive" investigation work is set to get under way at a listed pier after cracks were of Jersey said work would begin at Gorey Pier, St Martin, on Tuesday 27 May, subject to planning permission being granted by the Government of Jersey.A report showed parts of the historic pier were cracked due to a combination of age and the effects of Storm Ciarán in November 2023, with specialist company Terra Firma set to be on site for between four and six weeks."Every effort will be made to minimise disruption and complete the work before the peak summer season," a Ports of Jersey spokesperson said. "These investigations are essential to gather detailed information on the condition of the pier, which will inform the best method for its stabilisation."A series of trial pits and boreholes would be opened on the pier arm, pier head and the base of the wall on the harbour side but no work would be undertaken along the bulwarks where the restaurants and residences were located, they this work, planned repairs include replacing the concrete landing deck, reinforcing the western wall, repairing a stress crack in the pier road and demolishing the terminal initial investigations work has been timed to coincide with the upcoming spring tides, when low tide will go down to 1.35m (4.4ft)."The challenges of working in a tidal zone mean we are scheduling the digs at low tide to reduce the risk of sea water filling the holes through the pier," the spokesperson said. They said as the tide comes in, water might need to be pumped out through a filter basket into the work is due to involve intermittent access restrictions for vehicles, parking bays and the public.
BBC News
09-04-2025
- BBC News
New 'bug hotel' unveiled along Guernsey nature trail
A new "bug hotel" has opened in Guernsey to promote biodiversity across a nature structure, which provides shelter for insects and wildlife, is located in the outdoor learning area at the Millennium Walk around St Saviour's Commission Guernsey paid for the hotel as part of the Storm Ciarán recovery fund. It was built by Grow Ltd from local materials and is nearly 7ft (2.13m) in height. 'Loads of value' Angela Salmon, head of operations and education at the commission, said: "[The Millennium Walk] had to be closed after Storm Ciarán because there were so many trees down."This money has helped them do more tree planting and lovely enhancements like the bug hotel."Claire Tough, customer experience team leader at Guernsey Water, said: "It will be great for children and education, it's just got loads of value for us."The commission said it could also be used to house birds and hedgehogs.
