Sea Defences: Antrim Coast Road

Oral Answers to Questions — Regional Development – in the Northern Ireland Assembly at 2:45 pm on 1 February 2016.

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Photo of Gordon Lyons Gordon Lyons DUP 2:45, 1 February 2016

2. Mr Lyons asked the Minister for Regional Development what action her Department has taken to prevent landslide risk and improve sea defences along the Antrim Coast Road. (AQO 9509/11-16)

Photo of Michelle McIlveen Michelle McIlveen DUP

I can advise that, over the past five years, extensive maintenance work has been undertaken to prevent landslides and rockfalls and to improve sea defences along the A2 Antrim Coast Road. In the last two years, Transport NI has delivered a £950,000 structural maintenance programme to repair and strengthen sea defences and minimise landside risk. The required work had been identified following detailed inspections by Transport NI staff. As you will be aware, in a recent visit to the area, I witnessed the ongoing challenges faced by my Department through storm damage and coastal erosion. I was also able to see at first hand the crucial engineering works that are being carried out to address the engineering problems and maintain the integrity of that key route.

In light of the severe storms and heavy rainfall this winter, a further detailed inspection of the sea defences and slopes will be undertaken this spring with a view to identifying further work and funding required along that strategic part of our road network. In the meantime, Transport NI engineers will continue to monitor the road closely and will carry out temporary and/or permanent repairs as appropriate in a bid to keep that vital transport corridor open.

Photo of Gordon Lyons Gordon Lyons DUP

I thank the Minister for her answer. She will be aware of how important the coast road is to the promotion and development of tourism in the wider east Antrim area. She obviously notes its importance as a route, so, further to her answer, can she give more detail on the nature of the structural maintenance that has taken place and outline what areas specifically are most at risk of landslide?

Photo of Michelle McIlveen Michelle McIlveen DUP

I thank the Member for his question. I can advise that the majority of the work entails strengthening of the sea defences or construction of new sea defences where existing structures were damaged beyond repair. Other work includes the construction of landslide-retaining walls at Glenarm, soil nailing of slopes at Carnlough and construction of new roadside parapet walls in the vicinity of Ballygalley.

With regard to areas at risk, I am advised by officials that, due to the soil conditions along the A2 coast road, it is extremely difficult to predict where or when a slope may fail and cause a landslide. Efforts are being focused on active areas where slides that affect the road occur, and remedial works are undertaken to minimise further deposits affecting the road in future. Unfortunately, with the current levels of rainfall, slopes are susceptible and there could be failures. Those are inevitable, and they may present future funding issues for my Department. I recently visited the area and am very conscious of the challenges there. I pay tribute to the engineers who work very hard to keep that road open and to keep it safe.

Photo of Roy Beggs Roy Beggs UUP

If additional work is required, improving the sea defences along the coast road could involve a range of agencies: the Department of the Environment in planning; the Northern Ireland Environment Agency (NIEA) in the environment; the Rivers Agency at river mouths; and the Department itself has responsibility for roads. Whether it involves protecting the public road or private property that is being endangered, how can all those groups be coordinated to allow speedy decisions to be made and speedy results to emerge so that the necessary work, by Roads Service or to a private property that needs additional defences, can occur?

Photo of Michelle McIlveen Michelle McIlveen DUP

I thank the Member for his question. He will understand that I, too, represent a coastal constituency and am very aware of the issues. Sometimes, putting in defences is not necessarily the right thing, and there may be alternatives.

He will be aware that I coordinated a group before Christmas. I brought together representatives from councils, the Rivers Agency and the National Trust to discuss exactly what he described. It is about looking towards a lead Department, which, until this point, has been absent in this place. The conversations are ongoing, and I hope to have another meeting within the next few weeks to set in place a strategy for the incoming Minister to take forward. I accept the point that he made. The issue is being recognised and, hopefully, can be dealt with.