Exhibition Sets Out River Ness Flood Alleviation Options

The public is being invited to attend an exhibition next week when options for a major flood alleviation scheme for the centre of Inverness will be unveiled.

Proposals for the River Ness scheme will be displayed at Merkinch Community Centre on Thursday (13 December) between 11am and 6pm.

The Highland Council has appointed consulting engineers Mott MacDonald to develop the scheme that will protect the areas of the city under threat. Council and
Mott MacDonald staff will be on hand to answer any questions and receive feedback on the proposals.

The scheme has been taken forward through a feasibility stage, and riverbank defences have been identified as the most effective and economic way to reduce the risk of flooding in Inverness City Centre.

The proposed scheme will require the construction of riverbank defences consisting of both walls and embankments of varying height, generally 1metre high. Both banks of the River Ness will need defending - extending on the west side from the river mouth at South Kessock to Eden Court and on the east side of the river from the Harbour to the Ness Islands.

Neil Gilles, Director of The Highland Council's Transport Environmental and Community Services, said: "Such a scheme will have both economic and environmental impacts, which are being carefully considered as part of the overall development. The scheme will affect the riverbank so it is important to give everyone the opportunity to see what is planned. We are holding a public exhibition of the plans to give people the chance to look at the proposals."

From Thursday, material depicted in the exhibition will be displayed at Inverness Service Point and will be available to view on the home page of the Council’s web site.

A formal period of 90 days consultation will take place next year at the time of publication of the flood prevention orders.