Workshop call over Harryville flooding

In times of heavy rain, residents at lower Toome Road and Queen Street are on high alert as they once again face the threat of water seeping into their homes.

Speaking after a site meeting last Tuesday involving Northern Ireland Water, residents and local MP Ian Paisley jr, Ald. Martin Clarke said: “These people can’t stand for this any longer and they shouldn’t have to”.

It was confirmed at the meeting by NIW that some pipes in the vicinity had been blocked for some time by cement, bricks and other items and that they had been subsequently cleared.

However, concerns were also voiced amongst the gathering that pipes in the area are too old and simply too narrow to cope with any significant water flow and need to be replaced.

Ald. Martin Clarke confirmed that NIW had agreed to attending a committee meeting of Ballymena Borough Council in The Braid on September 6 and said he would be calling at that meeting for a follow-up ‘Workshop’ on the issue of flooding at Toome Road/Queen Street to which NIW, Roads Service, Rivers Agency, the Planning Service, MP and Councillors would all be invited to attend.

“As far as I can see this is the only way we are going to get action,” he stated.