Celebrations as Alyth Square reopens after £500k make-over

A Perthshire town centre, which was submerged in water after freak downpours three years ago, has been reopened after a £500,000 upgrade.

Provost Dennis Melloy cut the ribbon on the new Alyth Square.

The opening ceremony was supported by schoolchildren and members of the community council and Alyth Development Trust.

The square was the focus of a 12-week construction programme, as part of a Perth and Kinross Council Placecheck plan.

It has been made more accessible to all residents thanks to dropped kerbs and wider pavements. Access for buses has also been improved.

New power points have been installed to support event lighting and seasonal displays.

The regeneration plan has been in the pipeline for more than four years, but there was renewed interest after the catastrophic floods in 2015.

More than 100 homes and businesses were damaged in freak downpours, which experts later described as a one-in-200-year event.

A major rescue operation was launched when the square became swamped, trapping people in their homes and shops.

The strength of the water even washed cars along the high street.

Since then, the public has helped shape the village square improvement plan at a series of consultation events and workshops.

The work was carried out by construction firm RJ McLeod, the group involved in the redevelopment of Glasgow’s George Square in 2013.

It followed new bridges that were installed to replace the ones washed away in the great flood.

Provost Dennis Melloy opens the refurbished Alyth Square.