€7.9m Rosslare erosion and flood scheme unveiled
PLANS for the €7.9 million Rosslare Coastal Erosion and Flood Relief Scheme were presented to the members of the Rosslare Municipal District at their monthly meeting before being forwarded to the Office of Public Works (OPW) for approval.
In recent weeks, Minister for the OPW Kevin ‘Boxer’ Moran visited Wexford and the feedback in relation to the project had been extremely favourable.
George Colfer and Gerry Forde from the Environment Section of the Council gave a presentation on what the project entails.
Basically, the project covers an area of 1.5km from the Harbour to Rosslare Point and will see the fortification and replenishment of the beach, as well as the installation of measures to prevent flooding further up.
With some rock groynes and revetments already present on the beach, the project will essentially build upon this and install further revetments where they are lacking at the moment. The plans also involve building up beach levels in between the rock groynes.
In terms of flood relief, a total of nearly €615,000 is to be spent on a 1km stretch just west of Rosslare Point at the Burrow. It will consist of the construction of a small embankment and will protect a total of 18 properties.
Mr Colfer stated that the project has a ‘high benefit to cost ratio’ which ‘improves the case for funding’. He also said that so far the plans had been positively received by the OPW.
Once funding is allocated, the next step for the project is to go to tender and appoint consultant engineers for a detailed design. Then it will go to planning and foreshore consent will be obtained.
Mr Forde also pointed out that in the case of an extreme climate change event, the Rosslare spit would provide vital protection to Wexford. He also stated that discussions are ongoing with Irish Rail as significant parts of the rail line are vulnerable to flooding and it’s something that they are looking at.
Welcoming the plans, Cllr Jim Moore asked if roadworks on the Burrow Road, which had been consistently put off owing to constant flooding, would be included in the plan. Mr Forde said that the OPW won’t cover the roadworks, but Cllr Ger Carthy pointed out that it was included in the roads programme.
The members were unanimous in welcoming the plans and are anxious to see work begin as soon as possible.