Work on town's flood defences begins

Monday, 8 May 2017 06:09

Flooding in Castletown in January 2014. Picture credit: Gary Salsbury

New wall to be built around harbour

Building work costing £2.3 million begins today (8 May) on defending Castletown against future flooding.

The Department of Infrastructure is replacing the walls and chain links fences around the town's harbour with a raised, reinforced concrete boundary - construction is expected to take 45 weeks.

Preparations have been under way for the last two weeks for work on the main scheme to begin, with trees removed near Qualtrough's Timber Yard and the salt marsh habitat relocated.

The DoI says the defences are designed to prevent flooding caused by rising sea levels, which led to serious property damage in the town in 2014.

Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer says the town needs protection: