Flood risk sinks insurance hopes for hundreds of Galway houses

HUNDREDS of houses across Galway could have their values slashed by tens of thousands of euro because of flood risk designations that form part of new town area plans.

The new flood risk zones – specified in the area plans for major towns across Galway – cannot take into account mitigation measures put in place since the ‘great floods’ of November 2009.

Householders living in such flood risk zones are also facing into higher insurance costs as insurance companies ‘factor in’ the new zoning regime into their quotes.

The flood risk zoning has also implications for people in the affected areas seeking to acquire planning permission for ‘new builds’.

It emerged at the Tuam County Council Area meeting on Monday that County Council staff involved in the drawing up of the area plans for the towns in Galway, cannot take into account remedial measures put in place since the floods of 2009.

Tuam Council Area Chairman, Cllr. Pete Roche, said that the nub of the issue revolved around the local authority not being able to take flood mitigation measures into account that had been put in place over the last four to five years.

“It seems that where remedial measures have been carried out satisfactorily, and where local knowledge indicates that there is little to none by way of a flood risk, this cannot be taken into account in the drawing up of the area plan,” said Cllr. Roche.

See full story in this week’s Connacht Tribune.