Village floods just days after defences ruled out

Parts of Invergowrie were flooded just days after Perth and Kinross Council ditched a flood management scheme for the village.

An overflowing Invergowrie Burn swamped gardens last Friday, leaving some sheds at least a foot deep in water.

The floodwaters came perilously close to properties in Main Street, where one resident said the council had “totally ignored” them.

During the previous week the council’s climate change and sustainability Committee had agreed it would not press ahead with a natural flood management scheme for the village.

Council officials said to do so would not be economically viable.

David Sturrock, 79, lives beside Invergowrie Burn, which backs on to his garden.

His shed suffered water damage after last week’s downpours.

Mr Sturrock said he had invested in two water pumps after he and his neighbours’ gardens were flooded in the past.

“The first one wasn’t big enough. I thought I’ll get myself a bigger one. It’s been on stand-by,” he added.

Mr Sturrock said council officials had sent letters to residents informing them about the flood scheme decision.

“The latest letter said ‘Sorry boys, we can’t afford it’. We’re being totally ignored,” Mr Sturrock said.

Consulting engineer Sweco UK carried out a flood management study in Invergowrie which found that up to 24 homes and three non-residential properties were at risk in the event of a one-in-200year flood.

But council officials contend that the cost of any flood prevention scheme must be less than the damage to property it prevents.

Just days after councillors agreed to scrap the local flood scheme, Tayside and Fife was hit by heavy rainfall and floods.

In the meantime, it is up to local residents to do what they can to protect their homes.

The committee report said: “The council will continue to raise awareness of flooding and encourage the local community and other landowners to

become more prepared and resilient to deal with flooding in the future.”

The Courier visited the Perthshire village in the wake of the flooding.

The waters had receded but the burn was still fast flowing.

The owners of a house just yards from the burn, who asked to remain anonymous, said flooding has affected them in the past and they have spent “thousands” protecting their home.

“Sadly, we’ve got to face the fact that it’s up to us. We’ve done what we can do along the side of the house,” one of the owners said.

“We’ve spent a lot of money putting walls up.”

Flooding previously hit Invergowrie in 2004, when the burn overflowed on to streets and gardens.

The water was so deep that one resident even used a canoe to travel along the street.

A council spokesperson said the Sweco study had informed “other ongoing actions to manage flood risk”.

These include using the Scottish Environment Protection Agency’s flood warning system and managing flood risk through planning policy.

Flooding in Invergowrie. Picture by Stephen Finn.