12 September 2021
By Tom Collins
tom@TheCork.ie
Irish Water is working in partnership with Cork County Council to progress the Midleton Local Infrastructure Housing Activation Fund (LIHAF) Wastewater Project. The delivery of this project will facilitate development of essential housing in the greater Midleton area.
This project, currently in the design stage, consists of approximately 6.8 kilometres of new wastewater pipeline and associated pumping stations that will facilitate the delivery of new housing developments in the Water Rock community. The detailed design of the project is well advanced, and the preferred route has been selected. Irish Water is liaising with all the landowners in the Water Rock, Carrigtohill and Midleton areas at this time finalising wayleaves and locations where Compulsory Purchase Orders (CPOs) will be required.
The CPOs for the required lands to progress the Midleton LIHAF Wastewater Project was advertised on Thursday September 9, 2021.
Planning permission has already been granted for a new pumping station in Water Rock and a planning application for a second pumping station in the Midleton North area is to be submitted in early 2022, subject to the CPO process being complete.
Debbie Holden, Irish Water Project Manager said “This is another great step towards [the] development of essential new housing and businesses in the Water Rock area. Irish Water has been liaising closely with several other agencies who have planned development in the area including Cork County Council, the OPW, Iarnród Éireann and EirGrid. By improving the required wastewater infrastructure, Water Rock will thrive both socially and economically in the years to come.”
Subject to the satisfactory completion of the statutory processes and procurement, Irish Water is currently estimating that works will commence in the second half of 2022 and be complete by the end of 2023.