Substantial funding still needed for Creggan Reservoir repairs

Local councillors have heard that a fraction of the money needed to address flooding concerns at Creggan Reservoir has now been made available.

Up to £1.3m is required for remedial works which will in turn allow numerous major projects to move forward in the city.

However, only £250k has been put on the table.

Last year, the Derry News uncovered information which identified the local reservoirs as ‘high risk’.

A flood inundation map shows that in the event of reservoir failure, areas as far away as the Strand Road and Buncrana Road would be impacted.

At present, it is known that the flood risk associated with the reservoirs will affect developments at Fort George, a community centre and social housing in the Glen area, the A2 Buncrana Road works, potential Magee expansion and Ardnashee School on the Northland Road.

Furthermore, it has impacted on a proposed NW Greenway on the Bay Road, a 24-hour petrol filling station opposite KFC on the Strand Road and could delay plans for development at the former Arntz Belting site.

Yesterday’s meeting of the Environment and Regeneration Committee heard that council officers met with officials from the Department for Communities (DfC) and Department for Infrastructure (DfI).

DfC owns the Fort George site while DfI is responsible for enforcement in relation to reservoir management and regional planning matters.

The costs to undertake all works identified at the Creggan Reservoirs are estimated at £720k to £1.3m.

Officials from DfC have outlined that they may be able to provide up to £250k towards the cost of works required at the reservoir.

DfI said it does not believe that the department will be in a position to provide any funding.

Speaking at the committee meeting, Sinn Féin Councillor Tina Burke commended DfC for providing funds and said that given the importance of some of the planning applications the Council can’t afford to wait.

“Options need to be explored to remove these planning blights,” she added.

People Before Profit Councillor Maeve O’Neill enquired about the masterplan for Creggan Country Park.

She was told that Creggan Country Park is working with the council towards wider site development.

NEGOTIATIONS

DfI officials have again acknowledged that Creggan Country Park Enterprises Ltd (CCP) is the Reservoir Manager for Creggan Reservoirs.

They said, should the Reservoir Act 2015 be fully enacted that they would engage with CCP to seek to have the identified works undertaken and if they were not that DfI could undertake the works and seek to recover the costs.

They also acknowledged that a fully enacted Reservoirs Act would enable DfI to consider making available grants to Reservoirs Managers to carry out capital works but this was not yet possible.

Yesterday, committee members were informed that should Council take on the role as Responsible Reservoir Manager at this stage it is possible the local authority could become liable for the costs of works necessary at the reservoir.

Council officers also met with CCP to discuss the potential for future reservoir management arrangements that would allow Council to assume the Responsible Reservoir Management role.

CCP advised that they were supportive in principle to working with the Council and Central Government in order to solve the issue.

However, CCP had some concerns and decided it would like to engage in detailed negotiations.

In conclusion, councillors were told it is possible that a funding package from Central Government for £250k could be made available to undertake works.

They were informed that a further report will be brought to the committee following negotiations with central government and CCP.