Basic maintenance of the banks of the Silverburn should be carried out before money is spent on ‘grand schemes’ such as a wildlife area for birds, said householders in Castletown whose properties back on to the river.
They were responding to a plan (14/00894/B) by the Department of Infrastructure for the reclamation of the river bank by Castletown’s inner harbour, the creation of two mid-channel islands for wildlife and a viewing platform leading to a riverside walkway.
John Qualtrough, from Qualtrough’s Timber Yard, objected saying it creates a flooding risk and the area should instead be cleared of obstructions, dredged and maintained as a flood plain.
Mr Qualtrough’s issues concern Julia Darvill, whose house in Victoria Road is by the railway bridge, because if the work creates a flooding risk at the timber yard, it will also affect her property.
She said the area needs attention – trees need cutting back or felling, the river bank is collapsing and there is debris and rubbish creating extra obstructions.
‘They want to build a lovely island for the birds,’ she said. ‘Someone asked [at a public meeting about flooding]: would it cause more flooding? I was told they will dredge the harbour, but that’s the harbour – where is the water going to go from the river?
‘They are doing the Poulsom Park up, but at the side here it’s a mess ... It seems no one will take responsibility for it.’
She added twice recently, cars attempting to turn around on the path have been caught out by the reduced width and have ended up falling into the river.
David Cole, who lives next door, said: ‘We have been trying to get the river bank repaired – the stonework near the railway bridge has crumbled into the river and several feet of the river bank has been washed away.
‘We have tried to get the authorities involved, but they claim not to have any money for maintenance work.
‘This is particularly galling when only a few yards away there is a proposal to spend tens of thousands of pounds re-sculpting the river bank.
‘The river bank leading to Poulsom Park is used by hundreds of people every week. It does seem wrong that money can be found for grand schemes when for the sake of a little bit of maintenance an area could be created that would be enjoyed by everyone.’
Julia added: ‘In all the talk about the flooding, they have forgotten the bit in the middle.
‘It’s a concern, if nothing is done it will get worse.’