£8m flood defences go-ahead for towns
Councillors have approved proposals for flood protection schemes for Pitlochry and Aberfeldy totalling over £8 million to be taken forward.
Perth and Kinross Council (PKC) will now put forward the proposal for the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) to include the flood protection schemes in their next round of the Flood Risk Management Strategy and Local Flood Risk Management Plan for 2022-28.
Following the deadline at the end of December 2019, the flood schemes identified across Scotland will be prioritised and added to an updated national priority list.
Both Highland ward towns were considered the two highest priority flood studies in the Tay catchment following flooding in recent years.
The move was approved at a PKC environment and infrastructure committee meeting last week.
Conservative Highland Perthshire councillor John Duff, who sits on the committee, described the move as the “most significant developments in these towns for years.”
He added: “I would urge the local population to ensure their views are
Moulin Burn at the Craigmhor Lodge pond; a new watercourse diversion channel on the Wester Kinnaird Burn at Tomcroy Terrace; culvert and headwall improvements at the culvert that conveys the Moulin Burn past the Coop supermarket on West Moulin Road, and a flood wall on the eastern bank of the Kinnaird Burn at Blair Atholl Distillery.
Aberfeldy is at risk from two main sources of river flooding – the River Tay and Moness Burn. Minor watercourses, such as the Tomchulan Burn also pose a risk as well as surface water flooding at various locations, including the areas around Old Crieff Road and Farragon Drive.
Forty commercial properties and 128 residential properties were identified in Aberfeldy as potentially at risk during a one in 200 year flood event.
Around £5.3 million of improvements are proposed including: flood walls at Tayside Place, Tayside Crescent and the Industrial Estate; a flood embankment adjacent to the former slaughterhouse site at Appin Place; flood walls on the east bank of the Moness Burn at Burnside and Bank Street; and increasing existing culverts on the Tomchulan Burn at Old Crieff Road, Moness Avenue and in the field above Old Crieff Road.