North-east residents have written to the First Minister, demanding better protection from the floods which caused so much destruction last winter.
Members of the Ballater Flood group have sent a letter to Nicola Sturgeon, pleading for revised action to be taken over a new scheme to strengthen flood defences in the area.
The campaigners, coordinated by Tony Cox, have expressed their fears that Aberdeenshire Council’s flood prevention plan still leaves the community vulnerable to the elements.
The letter has urged the Scottish Government to “take swift action” to encourage the local authority to revise their proposals.
During the deluge, which swept across Aberdeenshire at the turn of the year, 344 homes were flooded in Ballater, as well as 57 businesses.
Aberdeenshire Council have put plans in place to rebuild the river bund which was damaged, but the flood group has argued a like-for-like replacement may not protect the village because of changes to the river.
The letter added: “We have proposed to Aberdeenshire Council that urgent measures should be taken to install short-to-medium-term flood defences which would protect the village until a permanent solution is developed.
“The council have not acknowledged the risk that exists and have refused to consider our proposals for short and medium term flood defences.”
Making reference to repairs proposed by the council, the letter went on to say: “The original designer of the damaged defences, who is eminent and a well-respected hydrologist has commented, and we share this view, that the repairs are not appropriate and will not withstand a flood event.”
The council did not wish to comment on the content of the letter, but their head of roads, landscape services and waste management, Philip McKay, previously said: “The bund is being reinstated to provide its previous level of protection after modelling showed it would still provide protection from lesser flood events.
“To do anything other than reinstate what was there before will require detailed study to understand and adverse impact on other locations along the river – a timeconsuming process.”
However, Mr Cox said he felt “dismissed” by the council, and maintained the group was left with no choice, but to write to the First Minister.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman added: “The Scottish Government has committed £420 million over the next 10 years to protect homes in many of Scotland’s most flood-prone communities.
“The north-east will receive more than a quarter of this year’s funding to take forward the schemes identified in Local Flood Risk Management Plans.
“We will consider the letter from Ballater Flood Group and respond in due course.”
