Public feedback sought on Midleton's flood defences, with 580 properties at severe risk
A car trapped by flooding in Midleton back in 2015. Cork County Council's proposed scheme aims to prevent similar scenes.
Residents and stakeholders of the Midleton Area are being urged to come forward and make their views heard on vital plans for the future of the town.
Later this month, an open day will be held by Cork County Council, to discuss the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme – and seek public feedback on the proposed emerging preferred option.
Since 1993, the town has been “severely and repeatedly impacted by major flood events” according to the local authority. They have identified almost a dozen “significant events” of flooding over the past 30 years, which many locals will remember all too clearly;
- February 1993
- March 1995
- November 2000
- October 2004
- May 2005
- June 2012
- July 2013
- January & February 2014
- October 2014
- December 2015 & January 2016
- December 2018
These events have generally fallen under four categories; flooding from rainfall (pluvial), flooding from rivers (fluvial), flooding from the sea (tidal) or flooding from underground water.
Floods of any nature can have, and have had, a devastating impact on local people and local properties. Alarmingly, studies by Cork County Council have found that 400 homes and 180 businesses are at serious risk of flooding during future events.
To mitigate that risk, Cork County Council, working with the Office of Public Works, has commissioned Arup to develop a Flood Relief Scheme for the Midleton Area that will be viable, cost effective and sustainable. The scheme is designed to withstand a 1 in 100 year pluvial flood event as well as 1 in 200 year tidal flooding.
A huge range of skills and expertise has been drawn upon to put together this scheme, with a team of project managers, engineers, architects, archaeologists, ecologists, hydrologists and hydraulic modellers all involved.
The scheme has already generated significant interest, with over 60 submissions received in early 2020, following a Public Participation Day which saw Cork County Council present attendees with a range of potential viable options to alleviate flooding.
Particular concerns that were raised within the subsequent submissions included issues relating to climate change and a preference for natural flood management. A full summary of the public feedback is available on the project website together with a Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) document.
As a result of the feedback received, the project team has made a number of refinements to the options presented, including the addition of a Climate Change Adaptability Plan, together with a Natural Flood Management (NFM) Feasibility Assessment.
The Climate Change Adaptability Plan assesses the potential future flood risk in Midleton due to sea level rise and increased river flows linked to climate change, together with developing a set of viable pathways for flood mitigation under climate change scenarios. It also ensures that decisions made today as part of the development of the current scenario flood scheme do not act as an impediment or constraint to any future adaptation measures, i.e. that the Flood Relief Scheme can be easily adapted in the future to meet the challenges of climate change.
Natural Flood Management (NFM) involves using natural features to reduce the risk of flooding. A detailed assessment of the feasibility of NFM measures in the Midleton area found that NFM could only achieve minor reductions in flow for the Owenacurra catchment, and that significant structural flood defences such as embankments and/or walls would still be required. NFM measures would not contribute to any reduction in flood defence requirements on the Dungourney as the area requiring defences is also subject to tidal flooding. Upstream storage, however, is proposed to form part of the Emerging Preferred Option for the Ballinacurra catchment, removing the requirement for ‘hard defences’ in the downstream catchment.
A detailed, multi-criteria assessment of the options presented at the 2020 Public Participation Day has now been carried out, including the feedback received from the public and other stakeholders. Following this assessment, the project team has now identified an Emerging Preferred Option for the Midleton Flood Relief Scheme.
This Emerging Preferred Option includes upstream storage, public realm works, direct defences and groundwater control measures. The Emerging Preferred Option has been developed taking into account the various constraints and opportunities that exist in Midleton, and allows for integration of the scheme with various other Cork County Council schemes.
Cork County Council now seeks additional public feedback on the Emerging Preferred Option before continuing to the Planning Stage of the project.
Following this round of public consultation, comments received will be assessed, and where possible, incorporated into the scheme design. The planning application documents for the scheme will then be prepared.
The general public and all interested parties will be able to examine the Emerging Preferred Option and meet the project team to discuss any queries with them at the Public Participation Day.Information on the Emerging Preferred Option, together with details of the work carried out on the Climate Change Adaptability Plan and the Natural Flood Management Feasibility Assessment will also be available on the project website – www.midletonfrs.ie following the event.
All are invited to have their say on the Emerging Preferred Option, during the Public Participation Day or .
Feedback can be given by:
- Completing and returning the questionnaire at the Public Participation Day, or on the project website www.midletonfrs.ie, or
- Contacting project manager Bairbre O’Breasail on Tel: +353 (021) 422 3200 or Email: midletonfrs@arup.com
