Sea wall project aims to shore up Fort William coastal defence

The sea wall next to Achintore Road in Fort William will undergo reconstruction next month as part of a coastal defence project.

The £465,000 scheme, which is expected to take up to six weeks to complete, will involve demolition of the existing coastal defence system, which is showing signs of significant deterioration, and construction of a new defence system. Thousands of tonnes of concrete and rock armour will be installed along the shore to strengthen and protect the embankment from future erosion, ensuring the A82 carriageway and footpath remain fully supported.

As part of the project, a wider footway will also be constructed, with new safety barrier installed next to the A82, helping to improve road safety on this stretch of the route.

The project is set to begin on Monday April 1 to avoid further deterioration of the existing coastal defence system from the tides against the sea wall. Temporary traffic lights will be in place during the project and will be manually operated during peak period.

The lights will be removed over the public holidays at the Easter weekend (April 19 to 22) and the Six Day Trials event (May 6 to 11).

A drop-in session is due to take place on Tuesday March 12 at the Highland Council offices at the Charles Kennedy Building in Fort William from 3pm to 4.30pm for elected members, community council representatives or local authority teams. A second session from 4.30pm to 6pm is planned for business owners or any members of the public looking to find out more.