Plans to protect Stonehaven from future flooding are gathering pace – with the latest proposals to go on show next week.
Residents of the town can view Aberdeenshire Council’s most up-to-date drawings of how the scheme will look ahead of a formal public consultation next month.
It comes after members of the council’s infrastructure services committee yesterday agreed that officers should begin the process to promote the scheme.
The move means that council officers will now advertise the scheme as legally required, to allow any objectors to make their concerns known.
And yesterday, head of roads and landscape services Philip Mckay told councillors he fully expected there to be objections to the proposals.
The project, which will cost £14-£16million, includes building defence walls along the River Carron, which has burst its banks twice in recent years and badly damaged nearby homes and businesses.
Mr McKay told the committee that officers were “moving forward”, but added: “I fully expect there to be objections with a scheme of this nature, as it runs through the historic part of the town.
“We will try to resolve these and will speak with individual objectors. Most likely we will be then be in the situation of holding a hearing, or an inquiry if the Scottish Government calls it in.”
Earlier this year, a hearing was held in Huntly regarding the £2.9million scheme to protect the town from the River Deveron and Meadows burn.
A Scottish Government reporter visited the town and heard from one of the objectors, but later ruled the council it could go ahead without any modifications.
Yesterday, the committee agreed to push on with the scheme, which includes raising and strengthening existing defences on the river, building culverts, and creating storage for flood water by constricting the flow in the burn.
And after members gave officers the green light to promote the Stonehaven scheme, local councillor Wendy Agnew said: “People who were flooded by the River Carron will welcome this.”
A drop-in event to inform the public of the current plans for the scheme will be held from May 21-27 at Stonehaven Recreation Grounds.