New housing developments have been banned in the Saintfield area of Co Down after a strain on its sewage system forced raw sewage to flow from manhole covers following heavy rain.

The Alliance Party is urging the Department of Infrastructure to change its method of funding to NI Water.

Spokesperson Kellie Armstrong said the area has experienced a "building boom" after a dramatic increase in population over the years.

-- Advertisement --

She said: "The sewage system in Saintfield has been struggling for some time, with heavy rain water flowing onto Old Grand Jury Road for a number of years. Alliance representatives have been working with residents to help resolve the issues there.

"It could be two years or longer before the system can truly be fixed but of course that is dependent on funding being available and used for this. For far too long, the Executive underfunded our infrastructure, with the current funding model not delivering enough investment to ensure our sewage system meets the demands on it.

"Alliance has previously proposed a new funding model which would enable NI Water to gain a more reliable funding stream and allow them to seek alternative investment to help support the much-needed reform of our water and sewage system."

(CD/CM)