No end to Downpatrick floods

No end to Downpatrick floods

19 November 2014

A SIGNIFICANT part of Downpatrick town centre was flooded last weekend following several days of incessant rain.

Sports pitches at Dunleath Park were under several inches of water as was the car park at the Down Leisure Centre. A large section of the car park at the rear of Rathkeltair House and the Downpatrick and Co. Down Railway’s base were also flooded.

Thankfully, businesses in Market Street, which have flooded numerous times over recent years were unaffected, while the Quoile River was at its highest for many years last weekend. Many roads around the district were also affected by water following last week’s downpours.

A picture taken by Down Recorder photographer Cyril Dobbin illustrated the scale of the flooding at the Ballydugan Road area which prompted councillors Naomi Bailie and Cadogan Enright to call for the issue to be addressed. Both are to raise their concerns with Northern Ireland Water and the Rivers Agency.

Councillor Bailie said Downpatrick requires a sustainable drainage system that can cope with heavy rainfall to minimise flood risks in the town centre which sits on a floodplain, warning that until this is delivered “development will be hindered.”

She continued: “Down Council recently agreed a plan for a new £17m leisure centre in Downpatrick in front of the existing facility, but I am concerned that whilst the design will ensure the building itself is flood proofed, the car park area to the rear and adjacent Dunleath playing fields remain on floodplains with increased risk of flooding.

“Something must be done to ensure the local authority investment doesn’t leave us with a first class facility sitting on an island that people can’t get to when floods occur.”

Councillor Bailie hopes the recent provision of a storm water holding tank in Downpatrick will ensure flooding at Lower Market Street will become a thing of the past.

She added: “The same needs to happen for areas like Dunleath Park and the car park at Rathkeltair House, facilities which ratepayers deserve to be able to utilise. Public sector workers deserve to have parking at Market Street, sport clubs deserve to have first class playing facilities at Dunleath and leisure centre users deserve to have their new facility which is accessible.”

Councillor Enright said he will be asking NI Water and Rivers Agency officials why a number of areas at Market Street and the Ballydugan Road continue to flood.

He said the floods at the Market Street car park caught out a number of drivers who had to be rescued after they became trapped in flood water when their vehicles broke down.

Councillor Enright said he is unclear why there is still flooding at this part of Downpatrick with sewage mixing with storm water given NI Water’s major investment on a new sewage works and storm water tank.

“Scheduled soccer matches at Dunleath Park had to be cancelled last weekend and I will be seeking answers why the flooding issue at this part of Downpatrick has not yet been resolved,” he continued.

Councillor Enright added: “The last three times it has rained heavily, the main parking areas in Downpatrick and the road from the St. Patrick Centre to Rathkeltair House have been impassable for ordinary vehicles.

“As a volunteer with the Downpatrick and Co. Down Railway, I object to regularly being flooded out with sewage-laced water into gardens I am extending around the railway.”

Northern Ireland Water was asked for a comment but at the time of going to press had not responded.