17th January 2014, Friday
By Bryan Smyth
bryan@TheCork.ie
The only TD who lives in Clonakilty Jim Daly (Fine Gael) recently met with Junior Minister Brian Hayes and officials at the OPW in relation to the
Clonakilty Flood Relief Scheme.
It follows on from the severe flooding in Clonakilty in June 2012, the CFRAM work for the town was accelerated to assess the risk and develop a potentially viable flood relief scheme as a matter of priority.
On 16 July 2013, the outcomes of the accelerated work, namely flood maps and an initial preferred Scheme option, were brought to public consultation.
To develop and implement a flood relief scheme for Clonakilty, the OPW intends to commission consultants to undertake a Contract to develop and assist with the implementation of a Scheme that shall comprise five stages,
as set out below:
- Stage 1: Scheme Development and Design
- Stage 2: Public Exhibition
- Stage 3: Detailed Design, Confirmation and Tender for Construction
- Stage 4: Construction Supervision
- Stage 5: Handover of Works
Tenders have been received for the Contract, and it is expected that
consultants will be appointed at the end of January 2014 or early February.
Thereafter, the contract programme involves the following deadlines:
- Stage 1: Draft report due in the Summer of 2014, with Public
Consultation Day to be held at that time before finalisation late
Summer / early Autumn - Stage 2: Foreseen for Autumn 2014
- Stage 3: Detailed design is expected to be completed late Spring
/ early Summer 2015, with tenders issued for construction
contractors shortly thereafter - Stage 4: Appointment of contractors, and commencement of
construction, expected Late 2015 / early 2016. - Stage 5: Handover of Works: Unknown at this time, but likely to
be in 2017.
The above may be subject to change should strong objections to the Scheme or other unforeseen circumstances arise.
It should further be noted that the Scheme is intended to address river and coastal flooding. Cork County Council have responsibility for managing urban storm water drainage, but it is intended that some work to resolve the rainwater drainage problems in Clonakilty will progress in parallel to the OPW Scheme.
Jim Daly TD says
I fully aware of the constant worry and stress that is involved for property owners at risk of flooding. I assure you that this scheme is being
progressed by the OPW as speedily as it possibly can be. Each stage mentioned above is essential to the completion of a successful scheme
and each will require an amount of time and consideration. While the town will have to remain vigilant, and on alert for the next while, I am
very confident that it will be worth the wait for this proposed flood prevention scheme to be complete.
