Council estimates £6.9m costs for Inverness East flood alleviation programme
View Smithton and Culloden flood mitigation presentation here.
Around 60 people attended a public exhibition and meeting at Culloden Academy, Inverness, to discuss flood alleviation measures in East Inverness (Smithton and Culloden).
Chaired by City of Inverness Area Leader, Councillor Ian Brown, the meeting was a follow-up to earlier meetings held in August and October 2011.
Last year, the Council gave commitments to establish the causes of local flooding and to develop a range of measures to reduce the risk of flooding in the area.
Representatives from the Council’s Transport Environmental and Community (TEC) Services, and Planning and Development Service; Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA); Scottish Flood Forum, Forestry Commission (Scotland) and Scottish Water were in attendance to answer questions posed by members of the public.
Neil Gillies, The Highland Council’s Director of TEC Services gave an update on the work being carried out by the Council’s Flood Team and JBA consultants who were appointed by the Council to develop flood alleviations measures.
In his presentation, Mr Gillies outlined a number of works already completed including the installation of a water level monitor; bank repair/stabilisation; removal of debris, gravel and culvert screens; installation of an embankment at Tower Burn; and support and advice in the community by the Scottish Flood Forum.
He also outlined a further second phase of £100,000 of urgent works which are due for completion by March 2013 and a third phase of priority works for the years 2012/13 and 2013/14 estimated at £1 million.
Mr Gillies explained that the Council has set aside £1million in its capital budget for the flood alleviation works at Smithon and Culloden in the phased programme of works and that a fourth phase of longer term measure to reduce flood risk would require an additional estimated £5.8 million funding.
He said: “The work done by JBA Consultants estimates the total cost of a flood alleviation programme for the area to be in the order of £6.9m, but that the economic benefits to the local community by carrying out this work could realise £15m savings by alleviating the potential future costs of flooding.
“The council can also apply to the Scottish Government for up to 80% grant in relation to flood prevention schemes.”
Stuart Black, The Highland Council’s Director of Planning and Development, thanked local community councils for their input to recent planning guidance consultations and gave an update on the measures being carried out by the planning service since the last meeting, including:
• improvements to planning guidance for developers which was approved by the Council in March 2012;
• improvements being promoted for new developments such as construction of open water courses and not culverts, and better maintenance of water courses; and
• restrictions on development in the upper catchment areas of the water courses for Culloden, Smithton and Balloch areas.
Mr Black said his Service was working closely with the council’s Flood Team on assessing new development applications.
He said a future meeting of the Council’s Planning, Environment and Development Committee will consider the introduction of:
• developer contributions towards off-site flood measures;
• developer financial bonds to cover the cost of completing adequate drainage devices; and
• formal requirements for developers to gift land for strategic flood relief channels.
Councillor Brown thanked those attending the meeting and gave an assurance that the future flood alleviation programme would include public consultations which would be advertised and promoted by the Council.
Further information on Managing Flood Risk in the Highlands is available on the Council’s website at http://www.highland.gov.uk/flooding.htm. Anyone with concerns about flooding can register with the SEPA Floodline Service to receive flood alerts and warnings by calling 0845 988 1188 or by registering online at www.sepa.org.uk/floodingsignup.