Fear DfI flood proposals will create unsafe ‘bathtub' effect on Eglinton

The Department for Infrastructure’s (DfI) draft flood alleviation proposals for Eglinton were discussed at a jam-packed public meeting in the village’s community hall.

Chaired by Eglinton resident, Mary McGuiggan representing The Gathering environmental group, the “robust” meeting on January 22 also discussed the proposed “expansion and reconfiguration” of an existing anaerobic digestion plant near the village.

The meeting was addressed by James Orr, director of Friends of the Earth NI, and Vincent Lusby from the School of Natural and Built Environment at Queen’s University, Belfast.

Following the meeting, a concerned Eglinton resident told The Derry News, DfI’s draft flood alleviation proposals would cost an estimated £25 million of public funding.

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“They comprise extensive flood walls with an effect of creating an unsafe ‘bathtub’ or ‘basin’ effect to the village,” they said.

“The village of Eglinton has been subjected to repeated and avoidable flooding as a direct consequence of decades of poor planning decisions; inadequate drainage infrastructure; and development in known flood-prone areas.

“These decisions were made by the public servants we, technically, employ and pay through our taxes, despite historic evidence, resident objections and clear environmental constraints.

“As a result of erroneous decisions, ordinary families are now living with the ongoing trauma and financial burden of flood risk, rising insurance costs, and damage to homes and businesses.

“The manner in which DfI presented its recent draft flood alleviation proposals at the Foyle Arena on October 25, 2025, was not acceptable. The meeting was scheduled on a Friday afternoon, outside the village, with no prior community consultation.

“The few residents that could attend were not permitted to ask questions during the presentation. In addition, it was only when viewing the map afterwards, the discovered the proposals included removing residents’ gardens and hundreds of trees; constructing flood walls through the cemetery; and taking numerous resident amenity areas for drainage and infrastructure.

Draft map of Flood Walls shown by DfI in Foyle Arena.

“The proposals also included lengthy walls, more than 1,200m in length, to solely protect developments, not yet started, on the banks of the Castle River.

“DfI is planning to remove or reduce in size the existing gardens of Eglinton residents to build walls to protect this, as yet, non-existent housing.

“Hundreds of trees and habitats are proposed are proposed to be removed, the character and heritage of the village permanently changed to a concrete, industrial feel.

“These are significant interventions affecting people's homes, history and quality of life; they require meaningful community involvement from the outset, not after a draft plan is publicly unveiled.

“Our village lies in a natural flood basin and has reached well beyond safe and sustainable development capacity. Where a village has reached the maximum safe capacity for developments along its riverbanks, that limit must be respected,” they said, adding  this was not “opposition to housing growth”.

“It is recognition of a physical and environmental constraint. Rivers have finite capacity and floodplains have limits. Ignoring those limits places people, property and public finances at risk.

“Continued development in floodplains, including current applications, serves private profit, while transferring risk and hardship to residents.

“It is time for public authorities to show accountability and respect for the communities they serve.”

The Derry News contacted the Department for Infrastructure for comment.