Stirling Observer

Collapsed harbour wall to be repaired

Work in Riverside is set to start this month

- John Rowbotham

Work to tackle a collapsed section of harbour wall at Riverside is likely to start this month.

Preparatio­ns for the project are to begin within days with the work proper due to commence at the end of the month.

A section of River Forth banking at Old Harbour Park, Shore Road, collapsed in January last year following months of subsidence.

Stirling Council has set aside £500,000 to spend on the project which has forced the closure of the popular park. Tests were carried out on the ground surroundin­g the collapse last year.

Stirling East councillor Danny Gibson told a meeting of Riverside Community Council last Wednesday a fresh timetable for the work was being drawn up.

“A meeting is taking place with contractor­s next week to present more details on the design and, through them, to scope out cost and availabili­ty. It is hoped that we will have a contractor appointed by the end of February.”

Before the work can start Scottish Water pipes have to be relocated from the riverbank to the edge of the road, and a redundant BT line has to be moved.

Councillor Gibson expects that work to be carried out this month prior to the start of the project to shore up the banking.

In a letter to community councillor­s, Stirling Council project officer Julie McPhee said since ground investigat­ion works were carried out last year, civil engineers Mouchel had been working on design options for the repair.

The cost of steel sheet piles, protective coating, and potential digging up of Shore Road were among factors which proved unattracti­ve to the council and an alternativ­e approach was requested.

Ms McPhee said the engineers had come back with a proposal which could be more cost-effective and less disruptive to residents and wildlife as there would no prolonged heavy hammering with piles. They were asked to hone the design and provide final details.

We will have a contractor appointed by the end of February

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 ??  ?? Testing Councillor Gibson (first left) in September during testing at the site with project manager Mike Lucas and Stirling Council officials Julie McPhee and David Hopper
Testing Councillor Gibson (first left) in September during testing at the site with project manager Mike Lucas and Stirling Council officials Julie McPhee and David Hopper

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