Port of Inverness has lodged plans to build a new flood wall on the city’s Shore Street quay.
The quay, on the east bank of the River Ness, has fallen into a state of disrepair and was condemned in 1998 due to concerns over its structural integrity.
It was also deemed unsuitable for the increasing size and requirements of ships visiting the port, and for use as an operational berth.
The pile face has been corroded and undermined, causing the structure to become unstable.
If the quay were to collapse, it would have major implications for the Port’s operations, obstructing access to adjacent berths and disrupting the bulk fuel supply to the Highland capital.
To combat the problem, the Port of Inverness wants to construct a rock-armoured bund at the base of the pile wall to protect and reinforce the existing quay face.
They are also proposing to apply a fibre concrete face to the pile wall to protect it from future corrosion.
The Port also wants to install a new flood wall along the front of the existing quay to reduce the flood risk to the adjacent area, and to have this adopted as part of the River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme.
The early plans will be considered by Highland Council planning officials before the Port of Inverness move on to lodging a full application.
