Flooding scheme given green light
‘PEACE of mind for many residents and local business owners alike’ – that was the view of Selkirk Community Council chairman Gordon Edgar this week, when commenting on news that a £19million flood prevention scheme for the town had been given the thumbs up.
Scottish Borders Council’s (SBC) Executive approved the proposed preferred design for the Selkirk Flood Protection Scheme (FPS) at its meeting in Newtown St Boswells on Tuesday.
The preferred scheme was developed by Halcrow Group Ltd in partnership with SBC over the past 15 months and is considered to be the most desirable combination of flood protection measures that can be delivered for the royal burgh.
Conor Price, flood protection project manager at SBC, says he is confident the people of Selkirk will approve of the efforts made to banish the threat of flooding.
“However, we recognise that from here the key to concluding a design is to continue to discuss the proposals with the residents of Selkirk,” he said.
“We are committed to designing robust, modern flood defences that protect the town and we are striving to deliver a scheme the people of Selkirk are proud of and consider theirs.”
On Tuesday, councillors approved the spending of around £500,000 to progress the scheme to the formal design stage and the submission of a flood protection order in accordance with new legislation. If no public inquiry is required, the order could be in place by the end of this year.
Exactly where SBC will find the rest of the £19million needed remains unclear, as under current rules it is the council and not the Scottish Government that will have to bear the majority of the costs involved.
The largest part of the scheme, costing more than £10million, will tackle the threat to the Riverside area from the Ettrick Water and involves the erection of 1,600m of flood walls to protect around 100 local business premises.
In total, 600 homes, including those in Bannerfield, plus the rugby club, sewage works, Victoria Park and Philphaugh Community School, will be shielded from future flooding problems.
Although the costs of the scheme seem high, the report claims flooding could cause damage of almost £30million. In parallel with the work in Selkirk the project team will continue to develop the St Mary’s Loch option, which would utilise the existing infrastructure at the bottom of the loch to manage its water levels, helping to protect areas downstream.
A second public exhibition will be held in Selkirk in May so that all developments can be presented to the public.
Councillor Edgar was delighted to hear SBC had approved the scheme.
“It is good news – long awaited. It will bring peace of mind to many residents and business owners in Selkirk,” he told The Wee Paper.
SBC Selkirkshire councillor Carolyn Riddell-Carre said the Selkirk scheme came “way up the list” when proposed local flood prevention schemes were being reviewed.
But she cautioned that the scheme could not be delivered immediately and would needed to be phased over a number of years.
“This is terribly important for Selkirk, but it can’t all be done overnight,” she said.
“We will be bringing capital management proposals for the funding forward to the next meeting of the council in February.”
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Weather for Selkirk
Thursday 24 May 2012
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