Project Lifecycle

The project shall comprise up to five stages, as set out below.

Stage 1: Scheme Development and Design

• Assess and develop a viable, cost-effective and sustainable Scheme, to allow the design flood event along the Bantry & Mealagh Rivers and their tributaries without causing flooding of properties, in so doing protecting against flooding from pluvial, fluvial, groundwater, tidal and surge.
• Carrying out a Constraints Study to identify the key environmental issues in the study area, which may be impacted upon by possible flood alleviation measures, and/or which may impose constraints on the design and viability of these measures.
• Preparation of the Appropriate Assessment Screening Statement.
• Public consultation, including Public Information Days. The purpose of the first Public Information Day is to gather information from the public about their experiences of flooding in the Study Area along with their thoughts on possible solutions to the flooding problem and their preferences in this regard.
• Development and identification of preferred scheme, informed by:
• Multi-criteria assessment of options including environmental assessments
• Cost Benefit analysis for the preferred scheme

Stage 2: Planning process

• Complete the necessary planning and any other statutory processes, to progress the preferred Scheme through Part 10 Planning under the Planning and Development Act 2000 or confirmation under the Arterial Drainage Act 1945. 

Stage 3 – Detailed Design, Confirmation and Tender

• Undertaking the detailed design of the final preferred scheme.
• Confirmation of the Scheme by the Minister for Public Expenditure & Reform where relevant.
• Preparation of Contract Documents and undertaking the procurement of a works contractor to construct the Scheme.

Stages 4 and 5 – Construction and Handover of the Works