Plans to solve flooding problems in a residential area of Inverness by creating huge ponds have been branded “farcical” by a former community council chairman.
Two so-called “floodwater storage areas” will be created in Culloden Park and Smithton Park as part of Highland Council’s plans to complete the £8million Smithton and Culloden Flood Alleviation Scheme.
The fourth and final phase of the works will cost in excess of £7 million, however funding has still to be secured for the proposals.
Local councillor Roddy Balfour said that the works were necessary to prevent damage to houses from future floods.
The scheme was designed after serious floods in the area in 2011, when one local resident drowned after trying to clear a blocked culvert.
The two storage areas, designed by JBA Consulting, will hold extra floodwater in the landscape which can then be slowly released.
Culverts between Lochlann Court and Redburn Avenue, beneath Smithton Park and between the railway and Smithton Park, may also be removed as part of the next stage of proposals.
Local residents will get now the chance to air their views about the plans at a consultation event on Tuesday at Smithton Free Church from 2pm-6.30pm.
David McGrath, former chairman of Culloden and Smithton Community Council, said: “The one at Culloden Park is at the lower level next to the burn and they will be making a crater to allegedly collect the excess water and personally I don’t think it is going to do much good.
“There are about three or four burns going down into the one culvert near Duncan of Forbes Primary which then goes down to the Milton of Culloden and out to the Moray Firth. Our issue is they should not be messing about with these silly ponds.
“There are already ponds at the top of the hill and in the last three floods they have all failed. They have not held enough water back and it has gone over the top of the burns and flooded.”
He added: “I don’t think what the council is proposing with these plans is viable, it is farcical.”