Council welcomes flood grant aid for River Ness scheme
Highland Councillors have welcomed the award of £16.7 million’s worth of Scottish Government funding towards the £20.9 million cost of flood alleviation works in the centre of Inverness, which has freed monies in the Council’s capital programme for other flood prevention schemes in the Highlands.
The Council has attracted 80% of the costs for the River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme (Tidal Section), which will see funds phased over the next four financial years, with work starting in November of this year. The Council will meet the remaining 20% of the costs and has also agreed to allocate £1 million towards streetscape works between the Ness Bridge and the Friars Bridge to enhance the quality of these areas, where walls are being built to increase the capacity of the River Ness. The streetscape work is programmed to be carried out at the same time as the flood scheme.
The total estimated costs of the streetscape works are £3 million and other sources of funding are being sought to bridge the funding gap, including Inverness Common Good Fund.
Provost Jimmy Gray said: “The flood alleviation scheme is a hugely important project for Inverness and represents a significant investment in the city. It will help support construction jobs in the Highlands. The works also present an ideal opportunity to enhance the riverside - one of the prominent features of our city centre - with environmental improvements.”
Convener Sandy Park warmly welcomed the fact that the Scottish Government will consider bids for 80% funding for flood schemes with a value of more than £2 million.
He said: “A real bonus for the Highlands is that our success in attracting such major Scottish Government funding will free up monies in our capital programme to bring forward flood alleviation schemes in other parts of the Highlands.”
A report on the Council-wide flood alleviation programme, reflecting changes to the rules governing Scottish Government funding, will be presented to the next meeting of the TEC Services Committee on Thursday 15 March.
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