A row has erupted amid fears a much-needed flood prevention scheme for a city suburb has been “kicked down the road” with delays of at least a year on original target.
Highland Council officials had previously hoped to start work on the final phase of the £11.4million Smithton and Culloden scheme in the summer.
But it has emerged that the work – building two large ponds to retain floodwater at Smithton and Culloden parks – won’t commence until Spring 2018. Construction on phase four – which is the most expensive part of the project – is expected to take between 18 and 24 months.
Yesterday a Highland Council spokeswoman said that the 2018 target date was presented in a flood bulletin after councillors backed the plans for the final phase of the project in November last year.
The spokeswoman stressed that any indication of construction timings prior to the scheme’s confirmation was caveated as a “potential construction start date”, given the complex process of undertaking more onerous design and extra public consultation beforehand.
But some residents say they are angry about the lack of progress on a project for an area which has suffered from several flooding events in recent years.
Alex Nicol, of Lochlann Court, Culloden, an area affected, said: “I am concerned as much as anyone round about this scheme about when it will be finished.
“The whole project has been delayed from start to finish because none of the council officials seem to know what they are doing. It’s been so lackadaisical.
“Every single year we wait and it’s going to get more expensive.”
David McGrath, chairman of Smithton and Culloden community council, said: “We are supposed to have major flood engineering works this year but it’s being kicked down the road until next year, or maybe the year after. I think it will stall and they will just try and bury it because they are spending money on all sorts of things. I am very dubious about whether it will ever happen.
“The Stratton development is also about to start around Easter and the prison development could soon be starting, so all of this drainage will impact on these developments.”
Council chiefs identified the need for a flood prevention scheme after significant flooding in the area in 2002, July and August 2011, when 50 homes were affected, and again in October 2014.
The scheme would protect 129 properties which would otherwise be at risk.
The latest fears over the scheme’s progress come amid fresh concerns that council officials are proposing to cut £100,000 of funding for minor or unexpected flood alleviation works in the upcoming budget.
But a Highland Council spokeswoman stressed that this cut would not affect the delivery of the fourth phase of the flood alleviation scheme which is capital funded.
Culloden and Ardersier councillor Glynis Sinclair, who has been fighting for the flood protection scheme for several years, said: “I am disappointed they have put it back a year and that they don’t think it should be done at all this year.”
She also voiced her concerns over the proposed revenue cut: “The council is responsible for all water course inspections and for making sure all of these tracks are absolutely cleared. If, for example, they are not clearing tracks and doing the inspections, it means properties are at risk. In the Lochlann Court and Redburn Avenue areas, insurance prices have gone up so there’s a financial implication.”
Inverness South councillor Thomas Prag, who was involved in some of the early stage work on the project, urged patience before adding: “The main thing is the work will get done and it’s in the capital programme and everyone understands how important it is. It is not just flood protection, it will also provide some terrific open space.”
The first three phases of the flood protection scheme – which are much smaller in scale – are finished and this year there will be enabling works which includes tree felling, utilities diversions and some local pit inspections.