Mayo County Council has appointed Cunningham Civil and Marine Ltd. to construct the Westport Flood Relief Scheme. Delivered in partnership with the OPW, the Westport Flood Relief Scheme has a budget of €1.181m.
Local TD Michael Ring welcomed the news, saying: "I am very pleased that the contractors have been appointed for the Westport Flood Relief Scheme. Mayo County Council met with the contractors and they issued the Letter of Acceptance and they signed Form of Tender to them. The contractor expects to be on site within two weeks with a likely completion of end of quarter one (2023 ).”
He continued: "Thirty-six homes in the two residential estates of Cois Abhainn and Ashwood, Westport, at the risk of flooding, will be protected once these works have been carried out.
"I was delighted to bring Minister of State, Patrick O’Donovan, to Westport to meet with Mayo County Council Officials, OPW Officials and Local Representatives in relation to this Flood Relief Scheme. I am very pleased that this will resolve this problem for these residents once and for all,” concluded Deputy Ring.
Chief Executive of Mayo County Council, Kevin Kelly, added: "I am pleased to see the appointment of Cunningham Civil & Marine Ltd. as contractors for the Construction Stage of the Cois Abhainn and Ashwood Flood Relief Scheme in Westport.
"Over the past three years, Mayo County Council, working in conjunction with the Office of Public Works and other statutory bodies, have advanced this flood relief scheme which protects these two residential areas, both of which were adversely impacted by flooding from the adjoining Carrowbeg River in December 2015.
"I wish to thank the staff of Mayo County Council, the OPW and Langan Consulting Engineers Ltd for their work in progressing this scheme to construction stage and I also wish to acknowledge the support of the elected members of the Westport-Belmullet Municipal District in advancing this scheme."
The preferred option for flood defences in the two residential estates of Cois Abhainn and Ashwood was developed by Langan Consultant Engineers in consultation with the public and received planning permission in November 2021. It includes a series of hard defences, including flood embankments and walls, which will protect properties to the 1% (or 1 in 100 ) Annual Exceedance Probability flood standard.
