NI Water has announced that it's holding a public information event on the proposed upgrade to Kinnegar Wastewater Treatment Works (WwTW) within its existing site on the edge of Holywood.

As part of the Pre-Application Community Consultation (PACC) process, NI Water is holding the event on 29 February from 3.00pm to 8.00pm in Queen's Leisure Complex, Sullivan Close, Holywood. The water company is due to submit a planning application for the project later this year.

The existing treatment works at Kinnegar was originally constructed in 1963 with a second level of treatment and other upgrades provided in 1999. The facility treats wastewater from the majority of east Belfast, the industrial area of Airport Road West and the town of Holywood.

Developed as part of the Living With Water in Belfast Plan, the upgrades will fully modernise this key NI Water asset, providing greater environmental protection and supporting growth and prosperity in the Holywood area.

Farrans Construction, TES-CAW and AECOM have been working with NI Water and their project management team from RPS, under an Early Contractor Involvement (ECI) appointment, to progress the designs for the Kinnegar site.

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Paddy Brow, NI Water Project Sponsor for the upgrade of Kinnegar WwTW, said: "We are delighted to have a local team of wastewater specialists support NI Water as we progress proposals for the Kinnegar project. The integrated team has been working through an optioneering exercise to develop the most efficient solution for the upgrade of Kinnegar WwTW, which will see the sympathetic modernisation of the 60-year-old facility within the confines of the existing site. An environmental statement for the project is being prepared and a planning application will be submitted this year following community consultation.

"The Kinnegar and Sydenham projects are inextricably linked and for this reason NI Water has appointed the same ECI team for both schemes to maximise efficiencies and foster innovations in delivery. Working collaboratively with NI Water and our local project management consultants, RPS and AtkinsRéalis, as 'One Team', the ECI team is working hard to develop forward-thinking, sustainable and robust solutions that will ensure the Kinnegar and Sydenham assets can support a flourishing environment and growing economy for decades to come. As part of the important ECI phase, the One Team will progress the projects through the relevant planning processes and liaise with stakeholders on our proposals going forward."

The Living With Water in Belfast Plan includes major upgrades to a total of five wastewater treatment works including Belfast WwTW, Kinnegar WwTW, Whitehouse WwTW, Carrickfergus WwTW and Greenisland WwTW. Extensive network improvements, including the upgrade of Sydenham Wastewater Pumping Station, which pumps flows to Kinnegar WwTW for treatment, are also planned.

If fully funded, these upgrades will secure the future operation of the treatment plants and facilitate a range of improvements to NI Water's other key wastewater and drainage infrastructure within Greater Belfast. These projects combined will reduce the risk of out-of-sewer flooding, lead to improved water quality in the River Lagan and Belfast Lough, and facilitate the construction of new housing and business through the increased wastewater drainage and treatment capacity provided.

If the Kinnegar WwTW scheme is approved and funded, construction could start in summer 2025. The Sydenham project, with separate planning, aims to begin work by early 2025.