The Northern Ireland Audit Office has raised concerns about the value for money of current flood risk management arrangements, pointing to inconsistent delivery of defence schemes and gaps in oversight.

Around 45,000 properties are located in river and coastal flood plains, with thousands more at risk from reservoirs and surface water flooding, according to a report by Comptroller and Auditor General Dorinnia Carville.

The report found that while the Department for Infrastructure has increased investment to £96 million annually, a 73 per cent rise since 2020-21, most Flood Risk Management Plans lack clear measurable outcomes.

It also highlights that DfI’s monitoring of planning applications in flood-prone areas is insufficient, and that official flood maps are not always updated promptly after new defences are completed.

An examination of 21 finished flood alleviation projects revealed that only around one in five were delivered on schedule. Some faced delays exceeding three years.

Costs also varied sharply, with final spending ranging from 48 per cent below to 118 per cent above initial estimates. Only a minority of schemes came close to their projected budget.

Carville stated that flooding represents a serious and escalating danger to people, property and infrastructure, a risk that will intensify due to climate change.

She recommended that the Department adopt outcome-focused planning, strengthen oversight of development in at-risk areas, and improve the delivery of flood defence projects.