Clonmany Residents

Parochial Field

Riverside Embankment



The Ireland from the Sky YouTube Channel ‘Clonmany, County Donegal’ video, posted on 24/10/2016, shows the Parochial Field prior to both the field being levelled (2017) and the devastating August Flood (22/08/2017). It clearly shows that there is no Riverside Embankment at that time.



The above 2 stills from the video clearly shows no Riverside Embankment existed in 2016.

 

This photo was taken 2 days before the devastating flood, 20/08/2017.
The levelling development work was carried out earlier in the summer of 2017.

 

This photo, 12/03/2024, includes the manufactured embankment.
This photo was included in the planning submission, submitted 05/04/2024.

 

 

The above 2 photos were included in the original Planning application. They give birds-eye views of the manufactured Riverside Embankment.

It is incredulous and bewildering that a riverside embankment was built in the Parochial Field after the 2017 exceptional floods, given the flooding of Elderly Resident's homes, Riverside Park homes (50+ Defective Blocks homes), Community Centre, Shamrock Park and the Clonmany Wastewater Treatment Plant. The Parochial Field is owned by Clonmany Enterprise Development Ltd, a local charitable community organization. The Parochial Field was always a flood plain that provided relief for the river in flood conditions.

It can only be assumed that the vast amount of topsoil and subsoil removed in the 2017 development work, provided more flood relief than normal during the 2017 flood. The future flooding implications due to the development of this riverside embankment needs to be investigated immediately.

 

Is this Riverside Embankment lawful? Was planning permission required?

 

Do individuals/organisations/companies have the lawful right to erect/build/modify riverside embankments at will, where the flow of floodwaters can be changed and potentially have detrimental effects elsewhere on both properties and health & safety?

 

Who monitors, controls and regulates the erection/building/modifying of riverside embankments? Is it the Local Authorities, Office of Public Works or other? If it is not the Local Authorities, are the Local Authorities obliged to report to the relevant authority if serious concerns are raised with the erection/building/modifying of riverside embankments?

 

What are the Environmental Impacts of this embankment?

 

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