25% of flood grant homes in north are in the Derry area

Infrastructure Minister Nichola Mallon confirmed that 28 properties in the city have applied to her department’s Homeowner Flood Protection Grant Scheme (HFPGS).

The scheme, she explained, is specifically aimed to encourage the owners of residential properties, which meet the scheme’s eligibility criteria, to modify their properties to make them more resistant to flooding.

“Since the launch of the HFPGS in 2016, 109 residential property owners have signed up to have measures fitted to their property. Of these, 105 property owners have had measures fitted and a further four property owners are awaiting installation works,” she stated.

In other areas applications were much lower: South Antrim (12), West Tyrone (11), Belfast South (11), East Antrim (7), Belfast East (6), Newry & Armagh (5), South Down (5), Strangford (4), North Antrim (3), Belfast West (3), North Down (3), Upper Bann (3), Mid Ulster (3), East Derry (2), Fermanagh & South Tyrone (2) and Lagan Valley (1).

The scheme was set up in 2016, one year before catastrophic floods devastated homes across Derry in August 2017. It is aimed at properties that have flooded in the past and continue to be exposed to frequent flooding. The scheme covers 90% of costs, up to a maximum of £10,000 of the total survey and estimated installation. Homeowners must make a contribution of 10% of the survey and estimated installation costs, and any additional cost above £10,000.

Tidal flooding could lead to ‘significant infrastructure failure’ at Coolkeeragh - DfI report