Work on a temporary, short-term solution to flooding issues in the Ballycolman Estate, Strabane, is set to begin later this month.

This comes in response to recent flooding in the area and follows on from a meeting with local residents in which Infrastructure Minister John O'Dowd pledged his commitment to introduce flood prevention works.

Minister O'Dowd then wrote to the Communities Minister Deirdre Hargey seeking her Department's approval in connection with a short term solution being actively progressed in conjunction with Derry City and Strabane District Council (DC&SDC).

Speaking about the progress of the flood scheme, Minister O'Dowd said: "The short term intervention to provide flood relief to the houses under threat of flooding requires the temporary use of DC&SDC lands and this required approval from the Department for Communities.

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"I am pleased to announce that Minister Hargey has granted my Department and the Council permission to facilitate access to the lands and this will allow progression of the works in advance of the formal completion of the legal agreement.

"My officials and Council officials will progress the signing of the legal agreement in parallel with these works so that it will be in place upon completion of, or shortly after, the short term solution is in place. I can also confirm that my Department is in a position to commence these construction works later his month and this will considerably reduce the risk of in-house flooding to properties at Ballycolman.

"I also fully recognise the need to introduce viable longer term solutions as swiftly as possible to reduce the impacts of further flooding. That is why my Department is taking forward, where possible, a number of flood alleviation proposals in various locations  across the north, including Drumahoe, Eglinton and Derry City."