Drumahoe residents demand flood action

Houses at The Beeches in Drumahoe first suffered devastating damage on Christmas Eve in 1999. Several homes were completely gutted because of flooding that night, with residents needing to be rescued by emergency services and taken to safety.

Yet, almost exactly twelve years later, the same residents say they are living in constant fear that a repeat of the same level of damage is imminent.

In the years since 1999 there have been many more instances of flooding in the district. Rivers Agency staff again pumped excess water away from the affected houses no later than last Tuesday night - December 13, in a week when Londonderry was pummelled by a deluge of rain that saw disastrous damage take place on the cityside at Malborough Terrace and Harding Street.

The recurrent flooding in the Drumahoe estate is caused by water which runs in torrents from a field that slopes heavily towards the back of a row of homes at The Beeches.

Many residents have taken the emergency measure of placing sand bags at the back of their houses in an attempt to prevent damage. Some residents have also constructed a bank of stones at the edge of the field. Although estimated to be three feet in height above the edge of the field residents claim that at times this too has proven ineffective.

One long-time resident of the area, Brian Huey said residents have had enough. Mr Huey, a retired mechanic, said the issue could be resolved by placing a pipe from one field into another and diverting the water into the nearby River Faughan.

“People in this area are mad. They feel that no one wishes to take responsibility. Twelve years is long enough to have suffered this. If they are going to use the excuse that there is no money to resolve this issue, then there was plenty of money about during the boom times 12 years ago,” said Mr Huey.

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Another resident, Joanne Curry grew up in the area and is now a home owner there herself. She recalled how Christmas presents floated around the houses back in 1999 and felt that a lot of time has been wasted in finding a permanent solution.

“If someone would just listen to us, it would help. When there is bad weather, there is always a threat to these houses. This street has been like a swimming pool at times,” said Joanne.

Residents also stated that the situation has reached the point where it necessary to rely on each other to watch if the field is filling with water and then contact the Rivers Agency.

DUP MLA William Hay spoke to the Sentinel and said that it was imperative that a “permanent solution” is found.

“These homes are continuously under threat every time it rains,” he said.

Residents of the Beeches and Mr Hay met with a representative of the Rivers Agency in the area on Monday afternoon.

In the wake of that meeting Mr Hay told the Sentinel that he felt assured that the discussions held with the Rivers Agency representative would result in a permanent solution.

“We will have another meeting in mid-January but in the interim period they have assured us that temporary measures will be at hand to prevent any further damage,” said the DUP MLA.

But, another resident, Kim Cairns, whose home was one of those devastated in 1999, hit out at the authorities and said: “If this was on their doorstep, would they like it?”

DARD/Rivers Agency said: “The land would appear to be owned by a private financial institution. At this moment Rivers Agency is trying to schedule a meeting after the Christmas period with the institution concerned to instruct the necessary works required to be carried out on the watercourse.”

The Sentinel also asked why it more than a decade has passed without a permanent resolution to the issue.

In response the Rivers Agency spokesman said: “After the 1999 flooding Rivers Agency carried out emergency works to the watercourse to improve the drainage and give the same protection to the Beeches. There is no viable solution which offers complete protection to properties built in a vulnerable location.”

The spokesman added: “The Agency will not be carrying out any work on these lands, it will be using its powers under the Drainage (NI) Order 1973 to have the works carried out by the riparian landowner. As the Beeches estate was built in low ground below a hillside it was always going to be vulnerable to overland flooding unless the residents carried out protection work to prevent the overland flow from entering their property.”