Flooding worries over UL sports development

THE flooding impact of a state-of-the-art €8million sports complex on the Clare campus of the University of Limerick has been raised by locals.
Councillor Pascal Fitzgerald claimed householders have highlighted anxieties about the construction of new playing facilities, including two soccer, one GAA and one rugby pitch on a 9.8 hectare site, which is situated on a flood plain.
A two storey pavilion development incorporates 10 changing rooms, two referee rooms, first aid room, reception/office area, plant/boiler room, two coaching rooms, restaurant with bar facilities, kitchen, toilets and ancillary services.
Clare County Council approved the development at the northern end of the UL campus, subject to 19 conditions last October.
Councillor Fitzgerald told The Clare Champion he hoped to set up a meeting with officials in the university next week to try and allay the fears of residents.
“In view of the major damage caused by flooding in South-East Clare last November, residents are understandably worried about any development, which might increase a risk of a repeat of flooding in the locality.
“Residents want to know where will the water, which is displaced by this development end up,” he said.
According to an ESB international study prepared by Connellan and Associates, there is no significant impact from this development having regard to upstream water level or significant extra flooding over one kilometre upstream of the proposed site.
The study, which was submitted as part of the planning application, concluded that the loss of the existing floodplain storage is not significant nor would there be any significant increase in flood peaks downstream due to the loss of floodplain storage.
“The sports facility is an appropriate landuse in floodplain and it is adaptable to climate change. It incorporates a SUDS drainage system.
“The scale of the development, relative to the large river flood flows and large floodplain extent, will result in no impact on local water levels,” it stated.
“The only site available to the university in Clare, which satisfies this criterion, is the site north of the University Plaza with direct pedestrian access to the Living Bridge and good connectivity with the arena,” they explained.
However, in an observation submitted for  the O’Brien family, Shravokee, Clonlara, Caroline O’Brien expressed concerns about the impact of the proposed development on the landscape and their own property.
“The site, which was developed at the very edge of the traditional flood plain of the River Shannon, has never flooded though, on occasion, flood waters have encroached within a few metres of our buildings.
“A more comprehensive report with enhanced mapping and visual representation is required to cover the myriad of issues that will arise if this development proceeds,” she claimed.
Commenting on OPW guidelines on development on flood plains, she alleged the development failed to meet the criterion that “development that was sensitive to the effects of flooding would generally be not permitted in flood prone areas”.