Catastrophic failure avoided as historic River Bann sea defence works completed

A major engineering project has successfully reinforced a crumbling 18th century sea defence structure on the north coast, averting fears of a catastrophic collapse.

The work, valued at £1.2m, involved strengthening the stone and concrete supports of the Barmouth, which was originally designed to enable vessels to navigate from the sea into the River Bann at Castlerock.

These defensive works, locally referred to as moles, were last repaired in 1929 before degrading significantly over recent years.

The Coleraine Harbour Commission issued a stark warning that failure of the structure could result in floods wiping out square miles of land, including Portstewart and Castlerock Golf Club courses.

If the moles had collapsed, the river's mouth would have reverted to a delta, endangering both Portstewart Strand and Castlerock beaches.

The structures are responsible for holding back approximately eight-and-a-half million cubic meters of water daily.

Approval for the repair scheme was granted last year by the Department for Infrastructure following the assessment of the Coleraine Harbour Commission's risk analysis.

Completion of the project has now removed the immediate threat to coastal infrastructure and recreational facilities in the region.