Minister promises action after Storm Chandra floods

MLAs have pressed the Infrastructure Minister to tackle flooding of the Six Mile Water in Antrim.

An adjournment debate at Stormont was secured last Wednesday by South Antrim UUP man Steve Antrim, who began by thanking Antrim and District Angling Association and residents inundated with flood waters and sewage.

He also praised ‘our great local Councillors, Mayor Leah Kirkpatrick, Vera McWilliam, Stewart Wilson and Robin Swann MP and his and our office teams’.

“I would also like to thank those officials from DAERA, DFI Rivers, NIW and our local Council who have been speaking with me, not just over this recent flooding, but with their very real concerns over the last many years.” he said.

“I have also been contacted by some officials anonymously – this is because they have come to the conclusion that they are not, regrettably, being listened too.

“The sad issue is that the flooding along the Six Mile, its tributaries, its streams and its associated fluvial zones, was entirely predictable and the warning signs have been around for well over a decade.

“It has also been subject to several severe pollution incidents. The Six Mile is a fragile ecosystem but one that is now under severe and increasing pressure; from two significant factors – the first, the climate emergency, but the second is from bureaucracy and regulation.

“Storm Chandra has just been one of ever increasing severe weather events that is deluging Northern Ireland with so called ‘100 year weather events’; events that are occurring with a much greater frequency than once a century, storms are bringing much more concentrated amounts of rainfall – often overwhelming river banks that have been denuded of vegetation, storm drains that haven’t been maintained for years, water and sewage infrastructure that hasn’t been invested in.

“Running straight off tarmacked over gardens, badly drained car parks, trying to find natural watercourses that have been blocked by developments, no longer attenuated by dams placed there over a century and a half ago, reduced in size because of legislation and supersaturated land.

“Residents in Riverside, Dunadry, along the banks of the Six Mile River have seen their properties damaged, roads cut off, and blockages along the river and its tributaries adding to road surface flooding.

“With a saturation of the water table the land cannot absorb more, and it therefore this continues the run off into the tributaries, however when these meet the main river at its higher level and this ‘standing water’ forces water to back up – with even some homes that are on higher ground and never been subject to flooding finding that surface run off has no where to go, and much of our drainage either being impeded, blocked or just with pipes unable to deal with the quantities of water, it overspills into common storm drains, forcing sewage out into the street, or worse – coming back out of toilets and drains in peoples homes.

“I have heard that these water inundations are unpredictable. They are only ‘unpredictable’ if you don’t bother looking at the latest ‘Predictions’.

“I have recently asked written questions as to whether the recent flood extents have been mapped against the existing flood maps and flood map projections.

“Detailed mapping is the responsibility of the Minister of Finance, who is responsible for the Ordinance Survey, and working with the Infrastructure Minister, to keep the mapping updated, which is also the responsibility of DfI Rivers, whose objectives include reducing the numbers of properties at risk of inundation; the Minister is also responsible for Northern Ireland Water – NIW produced a ‘living with Water’ plan, which could form a model for other catchment areas, though this has been shelved on an indefinite basis by the Minister.

“The DAERA minister can’t be left out either, with responsibility for dealing and monitoring with emergency water pollution.

“Local area planning, is the responsibility of Antrim and Newtownabbey Council based on information provided by the statutory agencies, seeks to meet the needs for development against the constraints of the environment.

“However local planners can only act within the guidance they are given within.

“As far as I can see that uses data from Met Office projections of, 2004. I can see no modelling or mapping data that is recent, within the last five years.

“I do hope my analysis is wrong, but to be basing local development plans on data nearly a quarter of a century old, at the time of rapidly changing climatic conditions, does seem to be suboptimal at least.

“While officials will be using and analysing data from who knows when, the insurance industry definitely isn’t, and they are making near real term actual predictions on flood damage and claims. This will be much to the detriment of my constituents who bought their homes in good faith based on planning policy – which is way out of date.

“As local organisations such as our Anglers Association have said, use the river to help us. Replant suitable vegetation along river banks, create natural SUDS, creation of bio-diversity buffers; we should also be taking our river and turning its natural amenities into one that all can enjoy, and look to making much of it a park across our council area.

“It is also a wake up call to stop ignoring your responsibilities to ensure you have updated policies and above all modelling of what is happening and what is likely to happen. The so called ‘100’ year events, won’t be 100 years apart, they will increasingly be several times a year, and not just in the winter.

“These flooding events are not ‘unpredictable’ and my constituents can’t be refused the best guidance and planning policy because officialdom hasn’t updated its basic information or policy for a quarter of a century.

“That is not an act of unpredictable extreme weather, that’s a failure of policy.”

Sinn Féin’s Declan Kearney called for a ‘step change’ and more strategic interventions to protect local residents and neighbourhoods.

 He said: “The most recent incident caused by Storm Chandra is the worst flood to impact local residents’ homes since the extreme weather event in August 2008. 

“On 28 January, after Storm Chandra, I joined my Party colleague and Minister for Infrastructure, Liz Kimmins, in a visit to Riverside to meet with residents directly impacted.

“It was an opportunity for the Minister to hear from local people about the pattern of flooding which this community has endured for many years and the anxiety they experience during heavy rain and the threat of rising river levels.

“At that time and since, through formal correspondence, I have urged the Minister to expedite completion of the Flood Risk Feasibility Study scheduled to be concluded in the summer. It is imperative that this report delivers  concrete recommendations with the capacity to guarantee the safety of local people and their homes.  

“I have explained to the Minister and her officials that there must now be a strategic focus upon the factors contributing to the swelling of the Six Mile Water during exceptional rainfall. These include upstream developments, associated planning decisions, failure to comply with planning conditions, and the ineffectiveness of the existing drainage infrastructure.

“I note that the review which I requested into the failure of critical response measures that day has been carried out, and that operational and communication protocols at Riverside have now been reviewed and updated with immediate effect to ensure strengthening of future operational readiness.

“Following the constructive meeting hosted by RAMS on 4 February, the Minister will now proceed with a meeting of the Regional Community Resilience Group in the coming weeks. 

“She has also agreed to authorise senior officials to meet with RAMS and myself in advance, to brief on decisions and actions already agreed, and to use that engagement to inform the approach of the RCRG. This kind of process is necessary to provide reassurance to local people that they have not been abandoned until the onset of the next flooding incident.

“They need to know that relevant agencies have the resources and plans in place to meet their responsibilities and to intervene effectively in case of future increased river levels.

“There must be a step change on an inter-agency basis. This must immediately include a NI Water review of drainage infrastructure and appropriate actions to follow. My own and resident’s concerns about the standard of existing infrastructure are well known, we presented these directly to NIW in December 2024.

“I have urged the Minister to support my call for this review to be undertaken as a matter of priority, so that where defects or weaknesses are identified the remedial works can be programmed without delay.” 

At the debate Trevor Clarke joked: “I concur with lots of the remarks that have been made about the issues that we witnessed that day, albeit, when I came into the Chamber, I thought that there was a party political broadcast for the Ulster Unionist Party. I thought that we were here to talk about the Six Mile river.

“I acknowledge that the Minister was there, albeit belatedly.”

Mr Clarke added: “There has been reference to other developments, and the previous contributor talked about failure to comply with planning conditions. Minister, you were in the constituency a number of months ago looking at a retrospective sustainable drainage system. That SuDS was not put in place when the development was occupied initially. People were moved into those houses, and it was only after some time that there was a recognition that the developer had failed to do what he should have done, subject to planning.

“The SuDS was then put in retrospectively. People in Antrim were very disappointed that you visited on that occasion to see a retrospective system, given the impact that there has been on their houses, but I am sure that they were pleased to see you when you came the day after the floods. That is not whataboutery: we have to say these things. What are we going to do? What will be the long-term effect on those people?

“On that morning, I thought that talk of how bad the weather was, was an exaggeration. I drove on the Templepatrick Road, which was almost impassable because of the volume of water on it. The fields the whole way from Templepatrick to Ballyclare were like a sea. I had never seen that before.

“I turned on to Jubilee Road, and, where new houses are approved to be built within a few months, it was completely flooded — it was part of the river. That is concerning for me, and I am sure that it will be concerning for those who want to invest in those properties. As sure as day follows night, when those houses are built, there will be a further impact.

“The residents of Riverside, Meadowside and Massereene Street, who were most affected by the recent flooding, are concerned every time they hear about a development being built close to the Sixmilewater. Anywhere in the catchment area could be affected. I am known to be pro-development. I will always be pro-development because people need homes to live in

“One of the early results at Riverside was that drains could not empty out into the river and they filled up. There was a protocol in place, and it failed. Residents were talking about making calls from 9am. The pumps did not arrive until the afternoon.

“It was good to see that the agencies got together after the meeting to try to get a plan in place.

“There needs to be something wider, such as a moratorium on planning, until we get a resolution. Reference has been made to the old houses and old parts of Antrim. They are old, but they were new at one time. They are family homes and mean a lot to the individuals who own them. Every time that there is new development further upstream, there is real concern about the impact that it will have. However, at the same time, we cannot end the development of new homes for young families.”

His party colleague Pam Cameron said: “I have family members who were in the Riverside area in 2008, and they are there today. We know very well the day-to-day impact that flooding can have on lives. We have all seen that, but we really need to see good cooperation across Departments and action being taken to assure the residents who are affected that we can come up with solutions and help them with the daily battle with rain and water.”

And Alliance rep John Blair said: “It is vital that the Infrastructure Minister rapidly bring forward robust flood alleviation plans for areas historically affected by flooding so that we will not be back here next autumn and winter, making the same requests. Those residents who have faced repeated flooding can be assured that I will continue to raise the matter with the Minister and seek the detailed updates that she has promised on the flood alleviation scheme for the area. My constituents cannot wait for the next storm to find out whether lessons have been learned. I have raised the issue before, I raise it this afternoon, and I will continue to do so until the people of South Antrim see the meaningful, climate-proofed action that they deserve.”

The Minister Liz Kimmins said: “I visited the Riverside area, and I did that because I genuinely care. I know the far-reaching effects that it has on physical and mental health.

“People talked about being on rain watch, that it never leaves them. They will constantly worry every time they see heavy rainfall. Such rainfall is becoming more frequent. Therefore, it is becoming many people's everyday concern, and it is something that they constantly have to deal with.

“The reality is that approximately 45,000 properties here, which is about 5% of all properties, are currently identified as being at flood risk from rivers, the sea or surface water. Climate change is having an impact, and, taking that into consideration, the number of properties that will be at risk will increase by approximately 14,800.

“The Department and, particularly, DFI Rivers have been working on that for some time, particularly after the impact of the significant flooding in 2023. It remains a challenge without continued, adequate investment in our infrastructure. Many services that we provide continue to be under strain.

“We know all the key areas that need investment at this point in time, and we have to make decisions around prioritisation.”

The Minister outlined that operational teams responded to over 1,000 incidents, including more than 600 flooding reports and 370 obstructions on the road network.

As part of that work, she said that staff worked continuously to clear drainage infrastructure, remove fallen trees and debris, undertake pumping operations, deploy sandbags, install flood barriers and grit the network to maintain public safety during the ice weather warning.

But Mr Clarke said: “We appreciate that the staff were all busy. However, there was a protocol in place, and there were to be pumps in place. I will tell you that, on the night of the meeting, officials said that the pump was somewhere on the east coast. That is no comfort to residents in Antrim. We want to hear from you that those things have been resolved. We appreciate that the officials were all very busy, but if there is supposed to be a dedicated pump in Antrim, we need a dedicated pump in Antrim.”

The Minister continued: “I absolutely understand that does not give people comfort, especially if water is coming in. I met Jim (Cunningham) and David (Letherman). I was in their home and heard first-hand about their experience, which was absolutely horrendous. The stress of hoping that someone will come or offer some sort of support and not seeing that is unimaginable. The meeting reflected the fact that we recognised where things did not turn out as they should have.

“However, we looked at that in the immediate aftermath and said, ‘How do we tighten it up?’

“I know that one of the guys is a Marie Curie nurse and had to leave work. That broader impact is so important in the midst of discussing something that, you think, we should be able to address there and then.

“The issue of planning and development was raised with us by residents.

“DFI Rivers is a statutory consultee in the planning process that is carried out by councils. I cannot speak to specific applications that were made in the past, but I recognise the concerns that have been raised and we will take those away.

“I am not sure whether concerns were raised at the time and applications went through or whether we felt, at that point in time, that the properties were not in a flood-prone area as such or that they would not have the impact that, people believe, they have had.

“The issue is being taken very seriously. Someone mentioned the fact that more areas that never flooded previously are at high risk of flooding. That will very much change how we respond to a lot of applications going forward and will affect how seriously we take the issue. We cannot encourage someone to build a house in an area that we know will flood.

“As part of the process, applicants must submit a flood-risk assessment and/or a drainage assessment, demonstrating that appropriate measures will effectively mitigate any flood risk to the proposed development and will not increase flood risk elsewhere..

“Presently, my Department has over 50 projects in its capital works programme, over half of which have been driven by proactive work in implementing the floods directive.

“Delivery of the schemes is complex and involves a number of key stages, including feasibility, design, procurement and construction. The scheme for Riverside is going through the feasibility stage, and we hope to see that concluding soon.

“I allocated money this year to the development of a flood forecasting centre. That, in itself, will enable us to get better data so that we can be better prepared. We cannot always predict the impact of the weather, but the more information that we have, the better that we can implement our preparedness.

“It is currently anticipated that the feasibility study should be complete by the summer, after which any opportunities to accelerate work on it will be taken. If we are able to expedite the feasibility study, we will do so. Since Storm Chandra we have reviewed isolated problem areas and taken immediate action to enhance operational resilience. Further follow-up work continues to be done, including undertaking detailed investigations, capturing lessons learned and facilitating urgent meetings or discussions with a number of those who were affected by the storm.

“That engagement will continue through the work of the RCRG’s local volunteer groups, of which there are now 50. Those groups add another layer to the building of resilience and preparedness in communities, so we are not stepping away from our responsibilities.

“My DFI Rivers operational team will continue its inspection and maintenance regime for designated watercourses, including the Six Mile Water, and their associated infrastructure in the Antrim area. If an inspection determines that there is a blockage that significantly impedes the free flow of water in the watercourse or the drainage infrastructure, works will be programmed accordingly.

“As we have discussed, in all those cases, without taking away from what happens in one area, resources are heavily stretched when significant flooding happens. We are trying to prioritise where we can get to and where we can have the best impact, but lessons have certainly been learnt from that specific incident. We want to make sure that we do more to build community confidence and also to get ahead of any future events in preparation for longer-term measures that are in train.

“I appreciate having the opportunity to outline where the Department is at and also to emphasise and reinforce how important the issue is to me as the Minister and to the Department as we try to find solutions and protect people. I look forward to having continued engagement with Members and the community.”