Contractors Sought for Major Inverness Flood Scheme

The Highland Council is seeking tenders from contractors to build the first two phases of the South-West Inverness Flood Relief Channel, having obtained the necessary Flood Prevention Order and planning consent for the £10 million project.

To be completed over five years in phases, the scheme will divert flood water from the south side of Inverness away from residential housing in Hilton, Lochardil and Holm, picking up overflow water from the south side burns and leading this to the River Ness at Holm Mains. 

Archaelogical investigations along the route from Loch Ness Golf Course, Slackbuie, to the River Ness at Holm Mains have been completed and further site investigations are due to commence on Monday 20 July. Two tenders will be invited before the end of the month and it is hoped that construction works can commence in September and be completed by early summer of next year.

The first phase of the works commences at the confluence of Holm Burn and the River Ness and continues to Dores Road Bridge. Work includes increasing the flood capacity of the Holm Burn by widening and bunding, with associated accommodation works. Access to phase one is subject to land negotiations, which are well advanced.

Phase two commences at Dores Road Bridge and terminates at Culduthel Channel.  The works involve the construction of a channel for flood waters of open channel, where land availability permits, and sections of box culverts.

Prior to discharging the water from the flood channel into the Holm Burn, the water will flow through a constructed pond, which will reduce water energy and reduce sediment from flowing into the natural watercourse.

The remaining phases continue the flood relief channel, again combining open channel and culverts, which will end at Loch Ness Golf Course, intercepting Lochardil Burn, Slackbuie Channel, Slackbuie Spring and Ault na Skiach Burn.

All these watercourses will continue to flow at levels which will not cause flooding, with the excess flood waters being diverted into the channel.

Neil Gillies, Director of Transport Environmental and Community Services, The Highland Council, said: “This is a significant investment by the Council and is one of the biggest projects on our books at the current time.  It has been given priority because of the need to ease the persistent flooding problems that have been experienced in a number of residential areas in the south of the city. A lot of work has been undertaken to get us to this far and hopefully we will see work start in September.”