Ballyclare properties being assessed after flooding

Affected householders may be eligible to receive a £1,000 inconvenience payment following flooding in Ballyclare.
Flooding in Bellevue Street. Pic by Lyndsay Alexander.  INNT 42-825CONFlooding in Bellevue Street. Pic by Lyndsay Alexander.  INNT 42-825CON
Flooding in Bellevue Street. Pic by Lyndsay Alexander. INNT 42-825CON

A section of road was flooded this morning in Bellevue Street following heavy rain across the region on Thursday night.

Local residents have taken to social media, claiming that the problem occurred due to drains being blocked in the area.

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One person said: “We had a huge brown lake basically outside our door. A disgrace that the drains are left like that. A young guy from down the street was actually out and opening the drains himself to try and clear it!”

A spokesperson for Department for Infrastructure said: “TransportNI attended Bellevue Street this morning (Friday), cleaned the gullies and jetted the connecting line to the storm system.

“The gullies are now clear and the flooding problem has been resolved. Residents were also provided with sandbags. TransportNI has contacted Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council and requested a street clean.”

Cllr Vera McWilliam has sent her sympathies to anyone who was affected. The UUP representative said: “The MP for the area, Danny Kinahan, and Steve Aiken MLA visited the scene this morning and contacted the relevant authorities.

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“My sympathies go to anyone whose home may have been damaged. The drains have now been unblocked, so hopefully this does not happen again.”

PUP representative, Scott McDowell said the problem of flooding is an ongoing issue for Bellevue Street residents. He said: “The relevant authorities need to be doing more to stop this from happening in the area. I would urge anyone to contact the Department for Infrastructure if there is a risk of flooding in their area.”

A spokesperson for Antrim and Newtownabbey Borough Council said: “Environmental Health Officers are currently responding to a number of households at Bellevue Street, Ballyclare, assessing properties as a result of flash flooding on Thursday evening.

“Affected householders may be eligible to receive a £1,000 inconvenience payment, subject to meeting the criteria of the Department for Communities Scheme of Emergency Financial Assistance running from October 1 to November 30 2016. More information on this scheme can be found on the council’s website.

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“Council will provide assistance to residents along with relevant agencies.

“Flooding advice for residents including how to report flooding, important contact details, sandbag information, and general flooding advice is available at www.antrimandnewtownabbey.gov.uk/flooding”