§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions, since the first houses were built in the Manse Road area, Newtownards, flooding has occurred; and what steps were taken immediately after each flooding to prevent its recurrence.
§ Mr. Giles ShawPrecise records of flooding over the years are not available. It is known, however, that the majority 339W of the houses in Manse Road have never flooded.
Flooding has affected only those houses built during the past two to three years on an area of low lying land. That particular area and a part of the road itself—near its present entrance—have always been subject to flooding following heavy rain, although the extent of the area flooded and the frequency of flooding of the road were greatly reduced following a drainage scheme carried out by the then council in the early 1960s.
Flooding of houses on the lower ground was reported to the Department of Agriculture on 3 December and 28 December 1978. As a result of these flooding incidents the Department carried out works under the urban and rural improvement scheme. These works involved channel improvements upstream of the development on a tributary to the Kiltonga Stream and the formation of a floodbank at the junction of this tributary and the Kiltonga Stream. The floodbank helped to train the Kiltonga Stream along the proper course.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland if he will set up a public inquiry regarding the flooding of houses in the Manse Road area, Newtownards.
§ Mr. Giles ShawI have no plans at present to set up a public inquiry. Officials are currently investigating the causes of the recent flooding at Manse Road and possible ways of alleviating it in the future. I hope to meet the hon. Gentleman in the near future to discuss the matter in the light of these investigations.
§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland whether he is satisfied with the arrangements for investigating the possibility of flooding in the various stages of a planning application.
§ Mr. GoodhartIt is the practice of the Department of the Environment for Northern Ireland, as the planning authority, to consult the drainage authority about the planning applications to develop land alongside rivers and in low lying areas. These consultations are carried out when approval in principle is sought and also when detailed matters are being considered.
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§ Mr. Kilfedderasked the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland on how many occasions in the last 10 years have severe flooding conditions at Bradshaw's Byrne, Newtownards been reported to the relevant authorities.
§ Mr. Giles ShawThe Department of Agriculture for Northern Ireland does not maintain records of all reports of flooding reported to it. I understand that the responsibility for the maintenance of this watercourse lies with the riparian owners. The Department of Agriculture has recently used its powers to direct the riparian owners to clean this watercourse. The poor condition of this drain has not contributed to the flooding at Manse Road.