Work on ‘interim’ flood plan to start

Last week Mr O’Dowd met residents in the Ballycolman Estate and gave a commitment to bring forward the required work to prevent the flooding of homes .

Mr O’Dowd said: “Following my visit I wrote to the Communities Minister, Deirdre Hargey seeking her department’s approval in connection with a short term solution being actively progressed in conjunction with Derry City and Strabane District Council.

“The short term intervention to provide flood relief to the houses under threat of flooding requires the temporary use of DC&SDC lands and this required approval from the Department for Communities.

“I am pleased to announce that Minister Hargey has granted my department and the council permission to facilitate access to the lands and this will allow progression of the works in advance of the formal completion of the legal agreement.”

He added: “My officials and council officials will progress the signing of the legal agreement in parallel with these works so that it will be in place upon completion of, or shortly after, the short term solution is in place.”