COASTAL flood protection works for Stonehaven costed at £22.7 million go before the Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee on Tuesday for consideration and comment.
Raising our sea walls is the preferred option to protect the town – following a coastal flood risk study and two public consultation sessions.
The proposals came before Councillors at their last meeting on October 29, when they requested a site visit.
This took place on November 5 – an opportunity to consider, in situ, the many representations from residents against the proposals, whilst having officers and consultants on hand to answer their questions.
The strategy for Stonehaven’s sea defence as described in the committee paper is:
• North Zone – Improve the existing defences (raise existing wall) immediately and adapt to a new sea wall when the residual life is exceeded
• Central Zone – Raise existing wall and implement an adaptive beach recharge scheme immediately and replace (River) Cowie defences in year 30
• Harbour Zone – Manage the medium-term risk through Property Flood Resilience (achieved through Property Level Protection products) and construct new defences when the residual life of the current defences is exceeded (year 30).
Bid for Government Funds – ‘highly competitive’
Comments made tomorrow by our Area Committee will go forward to the Infrastructure Services Committee which meets on November 28.
Assuming they give the scheme the nod, the preferred option will be referred to SEPA, who are prioritising Scotland’s flood defence spending in what is described as a highly competitive process, and who will make recommendations to the Scottish Governement.
Back in 2016 Council leaders and Scottish Government ministers committed £420 million of funding over the next 10 years to flood protection schemes.
The Kincardine and Mearns Area Committee meets tomorrow, Tuesday November 19 at 10am in Committee Room 1, Woodhill House, Westburn Road, Aberdeen. Members of the public are welcome to attend.
The committee papers with the attached report is available online
