![]() The barrier protects central London against a storm surge, caused when a deep depression forms to the north of Scotland and progresses across the North Sea and south-easterly towards southern Scandinavia. He strongly recommended that a barrier should be built in order to avoid the catastrophe of flooding central London, and a site was agreed at Woolwich. He considered the estimated construction costs and the probability of a flood and of damage if the barrier was not built. In 1966, Sir Hermann Bondi was asked to take an independent view of the situation. By 1965, when the Greater London Council (GLC) took over responsibility, two major schemes were under consideration, costed at £24 million and £41 million respectively (£500 million and £800 million at 2020 prices). A number of designs were put forward, from a huge road viaduct with two 500 foot (150 m) sluice gates crossing the Thames at Crayfordness to flap gates lying on the river bed and floated up by compressed air. In 1954, the Waverley Committee, established to investigate the serious North Sea flood of 1953 which affected parts of the Thames Estuary and parts of London, recommended that "as an alternative to raising the banks, the possibility and cost of erecting a structure across the Thames which could be closed in a surge should be urgently investigated". Built about 2 miles (3.2 kilometres) east of the Isle of Dogs, its northern bank is in Silvertown in the London Borough of Newham and its southern bank is in the New Charlton area of the Royal Borough of Greenwich.įlooding in London has been a problem since Roman times. When needed, it is closed (raised) during high tide at low tide, it can be opened to restore the river's flow towards the sea. The Thames Barrier is a retractable barrier system built to protect the floodplain of most of Greater London from exceptionally high tides and storm surges moving up from the North Sea. The expanded scheme will require 6km of embankments, 1km of flood walls, a replacement bridge over the Owenass at the Four Roads junction, 200m of localised road raising, and an estimated 10.5Ha (26 acres) of land purchases.Far view of the River Thames Flood Barrier It was later expanded in size which has delayed its expected completion by at least three years, after the impacts of Storms Ciara, Denis and Jorge in early 2020. It is four years since the last public information day, when three options were put on display in the MDA Mountmellick for the public to give their views.īack then the scheme was promised to be completed by December 2023. ![]() It is a long haul to get the flood defences built, with the cost more than doubling from the initial €3.2 million budget announced in 2018. ![]() However Mr Barrett said that the time and venue would be confirmed closer to the date. The event is expected to take place from 3pm to 8pm, with representatives there from JBA Consultants who drew up the plans, and Laois County Council. It is understood locally that the day will be held in the MDA building in Irishtown, which itself was flooded back in 2017, with children rescued from the creche through deep water in the arms of staff and firefighters. "At the information day, the preferred option for the scheme will be presented to the public," he told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. Laois County Council is holding the public information day for everyone to view the updated Mountmellick Flood Relief Scheme on Tuesday, September 12.Įngineer Adrian Barrett is overseeing the scheme. I understand it will cost over €7 million, partly due to price hikes," he told the Leinster Express / Laois Live. Maybe in a way the delay was positive in that sense. "It is a bigger scheme than first planned as we had flooding since 2017. He welcomes them and says that the plan has been enlarged and is now expected to cost some €7 million. Local Cllr Paddy Bracken wsa among six in the Mountmellick Borris-in-Ossory Municipal District who got a private preview of the new plans. It was caused by multiple rivers including the Owenass burst their banks and merging outside the town after heavy rains, resulting in the worst flood in living memory.įlood walls and embankments are still not built, but an updated design will be revealed to the public in an open day. The flood wreaked damage to nearly 100 homes and businesses and eventually shut down the N80 national road through the town.
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