Residents issue another plea to developer

RIVERSIDE and Massereene Street Residents Association have again written to the developers behind a new development on Bridge Street over worries about flooding and sewage capacity.

RAMS has addressed the Board of Directors of Alpha Housing Association after seeking legal advice, explaining that the organisation has a ‘duty of care’ to protect them.

Last week the Antrim Guardian told how the proposals have been reduced in height and scale.

The developer has also promised a travel card for every apartment at a cost of over £21,000 and £200 towards a bike purchase for every apartment, costing £7,600, as well as scooter parking and cycle storage, adding another £75,000 to the cost.

Other amendments are said to bring the development into line with the nearby Conservation area.

Alpha Housing had been proposing the development at Bridge Street in partnership with Mainline Contracts, for ‘active over 55s’.

Alpha has said that the £10 million investment in social housing, specifically for older people will address a ‘longstanding deficit in provision in the Antrim area at a time when the level of homelessness in Antrim and Newtownabbey is the third highest in Northern Ireland’.

The company had initially hoped to be on site by January, but a revised Design and Access Statement has been lodged with planners.

MW Architects has said that the proposal has been reduced in density by the reduction in number of apartments - 10 apartments have been omitted, down to 38 from the original 48, while Block A has been reduced from four storeys to three in height.

RAMS said: “Riverside and Massereene Street are low lying streets on the banks of the Sixmilewater in Antrim. They are both ‘dead-end’ streets.

“Massereene Street is beside Bridge Street where you have applied for permission to develop 48 apartments and Riverside is across the river from your site. As a result of our proximity to the Sixmilewater, our areas are at risk of flooding as the lowest point in our street is 16.005 metres (indicated by a topographical study by CMcA Surveys 28th October 2024).

“We are aware you have had a flood risk assessment completed at the Bridge Street site, however we have met with DfI Rivers staff and we have been told that data from flooding in August 2008 was not used in predicting flooding at your site in Bridge Street, as the 2008 flood was worse than a Q100 flood.

“Our topographical study showed that in August 2008, the Sixmilewater River rose to 17.985 metres.

“Your topographical study shows that your site is 17.37m at its low point. The area where you are proposing to build 45 apartments is 17.75 to 17.85m.

“These levels demonstrate that your entire site flooded in 2008 with 0.615m of water in the flood plain area of the site and 0.135-0.235m in the area where you propose to build.

“Our residents can recall the flooding and we have attached photographs of the extent of flooding for your information. These photographs show the flood when it had receded somewhat as the peak occurred in the hours of darkness on the night of 16th August 2008 going into the morning of 17th August 2008.

“At that time, 191 homes in Antrim were flooded, some homes with 1.342m of water (floor levels in some homes 16.643m and river peak 17.985m). Families of Riverside and Massereene Street, who occupied many of these homes, were displaced for 6-12 months to allow repair work to take place.

“The Northern Ireland Assembly Review of the flood in August 2008 identified Antrim as the second worst affected area in the country.

“It has been cited by the European Flood Directive (2007) that construction close to rivers increases flooding. Our residents are testament to that as Riverside (a dead end street) flooded and was impassable to traffic and pedestrians three times in 2023. Many residents have lived in our streets for more than six decades and have never before witnessed this frequency of flooding.”

The dates were August 16, November 1 and December 28.

The letter continued: “On November 1, homes were also flooded in Riverside, and in Massereene Street many homes had sewage in the gardens. An oil tank was washed away with the force of the water.

“Our streets are impassable to emergency vehicles when they flood and therefore our residents, many of whom are elderly and disabled, have inequitable access to ambulances, fire fighting vehicles or any other emergency vehicles.

“The sand bag storage area for Massereene Street and Bridge Street is located in the nearby Bridge Street car park.

“On November 11 2024, we were again under severe threat and the road was impassable from 11 am until 11 pm.

“The consensus of expert opinion states that climate change will worsen and these incidents will occur more often in future. This is precisely we would urge you not to build on Bridge Street or any low lying river side areas.

“Alpha have quoted ‘while issues have been raised by objectors it is useful to address their key concerns’.

“The development is not being built on a flood plain, the riverbank and flood plain on the Dublin road side of the river is higher than that on the Riverside bank and cannot impact water height on the opposite bank.

“For clarity the development is significantly outside the Q100 level and has been accepted by Rivers Agency as being so.”

“At peak rainfall times, the storm water outflow pipe into the Sixmilewater will be submerged when the river is in flood and as a result water will backup the outflow onto your site and extend to neighbouring areas downstream, namely Massereene Street and Riverside.

RAMS also referenced articles from this newspaper, adding: “Having read your statements in the Antrim Guardian, we feel responsible to ensure you are totally aware of the increased level of risk you will be making for your own residents as well as neighbours in Riverside and Massereene Street.

“Please also note Point 3.4 of the Design and Access Statement from MW/Architects, dated 20 September 2024: ‘The flood extents within the site should be considered a liability. A Flood Risk Assessment has been completed and the building has been designed to the recommendations and in accordance with PPS 15. As per FLD 1, landscape within the flood extents will be utilised for open shared amenity space. No structures, hard surfacing, or planting is to be located within the Q100 flood extents’.

“Can you assure us there will be no construction vehicles, stores, equipment, materials or general construction disruption in this area.

“At ground floor level the finished floor level has been raised to 18.840 to include a free board accounting for Q100 flood levels PLUS climate change scenarios.”

“The fact that your developer intends to use a freeboard level of 18.84m indicates floor levels in the planned build are to be raised to prevent flooding of the building, however no consideration has been given to the impact of displaced water and storm water from your site to our properties downstream.

“Even if storm water is attenuated at your site, the Sixmilewater cannot cope with any extra water at times of heavy rain.

“The findings above show that the welfare and duty of care only exists for the residents in the new development. No consideration has been given to the residents of Massereene Street and Riverside who are living well below the 18.840 threshold being attained to the development. The levels of homes in Riverside are 16.308 metres. As a Christian organisation, we urge you to consider our homes and welfare.

“Alpha stated ‘Northern Ireland Water have been robust in recommending refusal for planning applications where the waste-water infrastructure is not sufficient. In relation to this application NI water have not only stated that sufficient capacity exists but have specified where the connection should be made’.

“We have been advised that the connection pipe from the site will be 18” in diameter into an old infrastructure of a 9” diameter pipe in Spa Terrace/Massereene Street.

“This connection is likely to cause a bottleneck within the system, giving us reasons for concern as we have ongoing problems with sewers blocking and sewer smells in our homes.

“The Regional Development Strategy NI (2035) (RG12) promotes a more sustainable approach to the provision of water and sewerage services, and to flood risk management.

“Within the Drainage Assessment completed by Civil Design Engineers, October 2023, it is stated:

“Due to the sewer network being at capacity within the Antrim catchment and sewer flows spilling from CSOs into the environment, NI Water is recommending to Council Planners that no further connections should be made to this network.”

“In order to combat the capacity issues of the sewerage network, Civil Design Engineers are recommending the storage of the stormwater into the attenuation/hydro-brake system, thus freeing-up capacity in the foul waste system, as a way to justify adding the waste from the proposed development.

“They will then connect to the existing combined sewerage network in Spa Terrace, Massereene Street via a resident’s garden.

“Currently the sewerage system at Spa Terrace serves the houses of 29 residents in Massereene Street, another 45 2-bed and 3 1-bed dwellings of foul flow entering the existing sewerage system will very likely overwhelm it despite their storm water mitigation efforts.

“At best the developer is hydro-braking storm water from the site, but they are also adding 48 units’ worth of foul flow to an antiquated sewerage system.

“Residents in Massereene Street report the existing sewer at Spa Terrace had to be cleared on two occasions in the last twelve months as it was blocked along Massereene Street.

“There have been several issues, including smells and visible fouling, with the sewerage infrastructure in the street, resulting in multiple call outs and repair work from contractors. Residents have also reported foul water waste backing up and being deposited on streets, pavements and properties during heavy rains and floods.

“If this application is granted permission to go ahead, surely this would be an abdication of responsibility from Alpha Housing Association due to the inevitably negative effect of foul water overflow from the out-dated sewerage system.

“You have made comments which can be found in the Antrim Guardian 31st October 2024: ‘we pride ourselves on working closely in partnership with our tenants, neighbours and partners including local politicians and community groups’.

“Despite our concerns which have been also documented in the Antrim Guardian, no-one from your housing association has contacted our residents group.

“If you are granted permission and do decide to proceed, we need to see a copy of your builder’s public liability insurance to ensure there is adequate cover in place for the number of residents that reside in our streets.

“We are not against construction of homes however we must object to construction near the Sixmilewater River as it is putting our homes under threat of being flooded and families at risk of being displaced repeatedly.

“Your strategy to free up under-occupied homes for families will be counter-productive as residents in our areas will be displaced if your development goes ahead.

“We are asking you as a charitable, ethical organisation, to please reconsider.”