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Aberdeenshire residents “insulted” by council’s lack of action on flood plans

Members of the Meadows Flood Action Group (MFLAG)
Members of the Meadows Flood Action Group (MFLAG)

Frustrated Ellon residents have said they are “insulted” by the lack of work carried out by the council to protect their homes two years after their houses were flooded.

Families living at the Meadows cul-de-sac on the outskirts of the town want Aberdeenshire Council to take action and build a £60,000 bund on the “weak point” of the river at the top of their road.

The Ythan River flows next to the quiet street and broke its banks above the entrance to the development causing water to run along the road and into nearby houses in January 2016.

The local authority had initially identified the bund as a “potential early action”.

However, Philip McKay, head of roads, landscape and waste services for Aberdeenshire Council, stated in a recent update letter sent to SNP MSP Gillian Martin, that it would be “unwise to progress this early intervention” without the advice of a consultant.

The letter adds that the local authority has “no statutory duty to prevent properties from flooding” stating that homeowners were responsibile for protecting their own houses.

Andy Lane, founder of the Meadows Flood Action Group (MFLAG), which was set up after the storm wreaked havoc across the north-east, said he was disappointed the council appeared to have had a “dramatic change of mind”.

He added: “It’s frankly quite insulting. We have also spotted contractors out surveying the river, but no-one has approached us to ask about what happened.

“What’s even more galling is that we have just had all the pavements in the street resurfaced when they looked completely fine.

“Someone has got their priorities all wrong somewhere.”

Recalling the day of the flood, he said: “We could easily have had a fatality on our hands. We had little warning and ended up being trapped inside our house as the water levels rose.

“I was trying not to panic, but there was a real threat of electrocution. All our lights stayed on – the power hadn’t been cut.”

A flood study is currently being carried out by the council across the area and is expected to be complete in 2019.

Ellon Conservative councillor Gillian Owen said: “The bund would be part of the wider Ythan Flooding Survey and that needs to be carried out to determine what the best solution is.”