Flooding has repeatedly disrupted people’s lives and damaged property in two communities on the outskirts of the Irish city of Cork. Working with Cork County Council and the Office of Public Works, our expert team designed a flood resilience scheme for the communities of Douglas and Togher. It is built for further climatic change and has contributed to regeneration of the area.

Engaging communities

Gaining community input and feedback was vital to designing schemes that would alleviate flood risk and benefit the area. We built engagement with local people and businesses into this project from start to finish, holding regular consultation days to assess impact, risks, constraints and benefits for daily life, economy, cultural heritage and the environment. 3D visualisation software helped us bring design options to life. The result was grounded in people’s lived experiences of flooding and a real understanding of how they used the area.

Holistic approach

Flood defence schemes demand big interventions to the surrounding environment and can cause significant disruption during construction. But they are also a unique opportunity to think holistically and consider how to integrate public realm improvements with flood defences. Working closely with Cork County Council, we enhanced the landscape alongside the watercourses in both Douglas and Togher. The areas now benefit from safer roads, shared cycleways, wider walkways, landscaping upgrades, a reprofiled river and new park. This flood resilience scheme has offered communities multiple benefits, including attractive public spaces that serve the diverse needs of local people, boosting the wellbeing of the community.

3D model of how the scheme was envisioned
3D visualisation of the community transformation: featuring safer roads, shared cycleways, wider walkways, lush landscaping, a rejuvenated river, and a new park.

The holistic, flexible and multi-disciplinary approach delivered a project that has greatly enhanced the built environment of the local community far beyond the core objective of flood risk mitigation.

Eamonn Mullally

Client Project Co-ordinator, Cork County Council

A natural environment

Our design for both the Douglas and Togher parts of the scheme incorporated measures to protect biodiversity. Collaborating with Inland Fisheries Ireland, we redesigned parts of the river in Douglas to mimic the conditions of the natural riverbed, maintaining a healthy environment for the fish population. Native planting and trees were incorporated into the greening of public areas. Every element and intervention was assessed at the outset for its environmental impact, compensating when needed to ensure no biodiversity net loss.

Future-proof design

Climate change resilience was a vital part of planning, design and construction, with structures future-proofed for more extreme weather. New culverts are large enough to withstand changes to water levels. Flood defence walls are adaptable – allowing for additional height if needed. The scheme is also designed to require little management, with the exception of routine maintenance of debris screens. There is no need for anyone to operate pumping stations or erect demountable barriers  

Cover image for YouTube video showing drone footage of the scheme
Drone footage from November 2024 documenting the completed project

Setting standards

When Storm Babet hit Ireland in 2023, both Douglas and Togher were flood-free. Beyond directly protecting 172 houses and 59 commercial buildings, the work delivers significant social value, giving confidence back to the community. Our approach was groundbreaking and has set a standard in Ireland for how we address flood risk alongside community renewal.

€12

m

Construction cost estimate for the entire project

172

Residential properties protected

59

Commercial properties protected