£40m for flood defence work

TWO FLOOD protection schemes which aim to protect hundreds of homes are being awarded almost £40 million of Scottish Government funding.

The money will cover 80% of the total cost of the schemes in Brechin and Selkirk.

The Scottish Government is also contributing £500,000 towards the cost of fixing damage caused by severe tides and flooding in Dumfries and Galloway earlier this year.

The one-off award will help pay for repairs to river banks, sea walls and coastal paths.

Under the flood protection scheme funding arrangement agreed with Cosla, 80% of the total cost of approved projects is funded by the Scottish Government, with the remaining 20% funded at local authority level.

The Brechin project, which will cost £16.4 million in total, will protect around 150 properties and consist of direct defences, flood embankments and walls, drainage system upgrades and three submerged pump stations.

Construction is due to commence some time later this year.