Aberdeenshire Council has revealed its preferred option to protect Stonehaven bay from future flooding.
The £26.6million scheme has been designed to protect the town, which has repeatedly been flooded by the River Carron and stormy seas.
Under the plans, the town will be split into three zones.
In the north, which which goes from north of River Cowie including the shore front – existing defences will be improved and the existing wall raised and a new one built in around 30 years.
In the central zone – which spreads from the south of the River Cowie to the harbour – an existing wall will also be raised, with defences at Cowie to be replaced entirely in 30 years.
VIDEO: Stunning footage gives bird’s eye view of Stonehaven floods
In the harbour zone – which includes including northern rock area around Backies car – prevention work will be undertaken and new defences created in 30 years.
But plans to raise the town’s seawall as part of the project have been met with concern by local businesses.
After an earlier consultation meeting, more than 100 objections were raised.
Planning officers have now asked members of the Kincardine and Mearns area committee to assess the project when they meet on Tuesday.
In his report, director of infrastructure services Stephen Archer says there will be “recreational and tourism benefits through minimising adverse short-term impact of new structures.”
But the report also contains letters of objections, including Lesley Duff who owns the popular Aunty Betty’s ice cream shop on the sea front.
She wrote: “The raising of the sea wall will be highly detrimental to the businesses, residents, visitors and tourists and an alternative measure must be chosen.
“Stonehaven’s iconic bay must be preserved and not hidden from the many people who visit our town.”
Resident Clark Alexander wrote: “The raising of the sea wall and promenade by a metre would be absolutely devastating for me.
“If the wall was raised I would see nothing but a concrete wall. I could not live here with that scenario, it would affect my mental health and wellbeing.
“Please, please do not build the wall.”
Last night, West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine MP Andrew Bowie said he understood their concerns but was confident the council will come up with a solution for the town.
He said: “Stoney’s shopkeepers and community groups have spent years building up a can’t-miss beachfront which is unmistakably its own.
“But we need a 30-year strategy to protect that.
“This is a highly technical engineers report and it will need to be finessed to find a way that inconveniences shops and attractions least.
“I’m confident the council will do all it can do shield one of the north-east’s gems.”
Councillors will consider the proposals on Tuesday and their comments referred to the infrastructure services committee.
The option will then be put to SEPA who will decide if it can be put in place by 2020.
A decade of flooding anxiety
November 2009: The River Carron burst its banks, flooding nearly 100 homes and forcing residents to flee. Council chiefs described it as a “one in a 2oo-year event”
December 2012: Homes again devastated and residents left “traumatised” when the River Carron burst its banks once more – a week before businesses and the town’s sheltered housing were battered by storms
September 2014: Aberdeenshire Council approves funding for the Stonehaven Flood Protection scheme
June 2016: Council decides Ellon, Inverurie, Port Elphinstone, Insch and Stonehaven are most at risk to flooding
September 2017: Stonehaven Flood Protection Scheme becomes operational
March 2019: Construction works start to protect Stonehaven from flooding, including alterations to five bridges along the River Carron and the construction of flood walls between the Red Bridge and the river mouth.
October 2019: Stonehaven Bay Coastal study option revealed
September 2020: Construction work due to be completed, excluding landscaping
June 2021: Landscaping works due to be completed
