Flood action pledge
KINCARDINE and Mearns Area Manager William Munro has written to everyone who attended the public meeting in Fettercairn last month to discuss the issue of flooding, assuring them that the local authority is determined to take action.
Mr Munro said it is invaluable to Aberdeenshire Council that local knowledge informs decision making and forms part of the council's commitment to Local Community Planning.
The area manager says he understands the frustration at the apparent lack of progress being made to alleviate flood risk in Fettercairn and the surrounding area, but assured those who attended that the issue is very much on the minds of the Flood Prevention Officers and the local councillors and said he was confident that they have gone some considerable way to addressing the problem.
Mr Munro pledged to keep the issue of flooding as a priority for the community of Fettercairn and summarised the main action points that were agreed at the meeting.
Short term action includes:
?Selective clearing of vegetation in the burn from the Royal Arch Bridge to the bridge upsteam of the sewerage works.
?Application to SEPA to lower the bed of the burn from the Royal Arch Bridge and then approximately 150 metres west towards the sewerage works. This is to gain some additional capacity at the point where the burn is most constrained by bank height, vehicle crossings and bed levels.
?Formation of a local Community Group to assist with the development of a local flood resilience and emergency plan, names of individuals to be forwarded to Alan Sim.
Longer-term actions include:
?Arrange further discussion with landowners to discuss potential future measures to be taken giving consideration to areas for holding water, rerouting water using existing ditches, burns and drains and for easing flows where these are currently restricted by private access bridges.
?Prepare a design, for consultation, on the holding area for water and associated banking at the Haughs field.
?Complete proposals for protecting section of bank from vehicle impact damage on Burnside Road.
?Finalise investigations into the option for diverting water to the Black Burn, taking account that increasing flood risk along part of any diversion should be avoided/suitable mitigated against.
?Liaise with property owners along the line of the culverted section of the Distillery Burn to investigate the condition of the culvert and highlight any works that may be required.
Provost Bill Howatson welcomed the action taken by Mr Munro, saying: "There is a need for clarity on what the council propose to do and how to roll it out.
"The issues have to be aired now. Everything has to be put into the public domain so we can see best how to take things forward.
"Things must be flagged up early or there is a risk that any major objections which cannot be overcome could lead to a public inquiry.
"Discussions must be constructive and I hope that anyone with an input on this subject will get in touch with flood prevention officer Stephen McFarland. We want to take things forward as speedily as possible.
"If there are major issues to be raised, the sooner they are made clear the better. Whatever is brought forward has to be a holistic scheme.
"The short-term measures will be carried out as soon as possible to reduce the risk of serious flooding.
"As regards the dredging, a request has to be made to SEPA and they have to respond."
The Provost could not comment on a statement made by Alan Mowat at Mearns Community Council when he said that it would take 1-3 years to bring about flood storage at the Haughs field and 3-10 for any diversion to the Black Burn. He said he had no knowledge of where these figures came from.
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Weather for Montrose
Sunday 27 May 2012
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Temperature: 11 C to 15 C
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