The Courier & Advertiser (Angus and Dundee)
‘Fast-track help’ call for flood-hit community
The Scottish Government has been urged to fast-track support for a Fife community repeatedly devastated by flooding.
Some residents in Freuchie Mill are still waiting to return to homes that were badly damaged by flooding in August 2020.
The area has been hit repeatedly, including earlier this month.
North East Fife Liberal Democrat MSP Willie Rennie has raised their plight in the Scottish Parliament as part of a longrunning campaign to have flood defences installed.
He said: “People in Freuchie Mill are at their wits’ end, and they want action now to prevent any further distress.
“The government has made numerous promises and announced various schemes, but nothing that has yet had an impact to help those who need it.
“With the increase and build-up of snow and ice over winter which will soon melt, it’s only a matter of time before they hit by flooding again.”
Responding to Mr Rennie, Ben Macpherson, minister for rural affairs and the natural environment, said the allocation of funding was for local authorities to determine in collaboration with other partners, including the Scottish Government.
He said: “I would encourage Mr Rennie to engage with the local authority on the distribution of its funding for flood prevention and other flooding measures.”
Fife Council announced last week that it aims to commit £5.45 million towards addressing flooding issues across Fife, including in Freuchie Mill.
Fife Labour MSP Claire Baker urged Mr Macpherson to allow for more flexibility in council flood funding options.
“The additional funding for flood mitigation recently announced by the Scottish Government for flooding is to be welcomed but the criteria in place for local authority flood funding is currently too restrictive,” she said
“I have asked the Scottish Government to consider changing the criteria so it is able to provide support for more local, smaller schemes, which may not currently be eligible but cumulatively would be expensive for councils to fund.
“Providing support for such schemes could have a significant impact.”
Plans for a showroom and workshop on a prime site beside the A90 at Forfar have been lodged by a leading Angus company.
Commercial vehicle firm AM Phillip is planning a multimillion-pound relocation to Orchardbank Business Park, beside the Forfar bypass and opposite the Angus House HQ of Angus Council.
The firm operates throughout Scotland, but still has its main base at Muiryfaulds, between Forfar and Dundee, where founder Eck Phillip established the business 65 years ago.
The company, which employs about 70 people, says the Orchardbank site would be the “ideal location” for an expansion to serve the growing market in green energy commercial vehicles.
It is the latest planned development for the business park, which is already home to the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association’s Scottish training centre.
A multi-millionpound EG Group filling station and retail development also recently opened there.
A M Phillip said the key reason behind the planning bid was to deliver facilities for “the sale, service and repair of gas and electric powered vehicles”.
Muiryfaulds is being sold to the company’s agricultural division to create the opportunity of developing the purpose-built facility.
Talks have been ongoing with planning officials since early 2019 about the design of the proposed development.
“This move will give the company the ability to grow their business of both heavy and light commercial vehicle sales, services and hire,” say Brechin-based architects A B Roger & Young in the planning statement for the proposal.