08 July 2016

Progress continues on Stonehaven Flood Protection Scheme, Scottish Ministers endorse plans

Plans for a Flood Protection Scheme for Stonehaven will not face a Public Inquiry, after assessment by Scottish Ministers.

The Government has said it is content with the plans and the processes taken to reach the final proposed design.

Following a decision to agree the scheme in principle, Aberdeenshire Council had to notify Ministers of its position, given outstanding objections from some residents.

After consideration of all the documentation relating to the plans, they decided not to call in the scheme for a Public Inquiry.

Instead, they have referred it back to the council to hold a Public Hearing.

An independent Reporter will be appointed to hear all arguments and make a recommendation, which will then be reported to the appropriate council Committee.

Designed to protect residential, non-residential and commercial land from a 1 in 200-year flood event, the scheme has been in preparation for a number of years.

A number of consultations have allowed both supporters and objectors to the scheme to give their views up to this point, shaping the final scheme as proposed.

Council officers have worked to accommodate modifications to the plans to alleviate issues raised by objectors, but some could not be resolved.

Given the need to hold a public hearing, it is unlikely that works on the ground will start before mid to late 2017, as officers and some members of the community had hoped.

Major flooding events have occurred in Stonehaven within the reach of the lower River Carron over many years, most recently 1988, 1995, 2001, 2002, 2007, 2009 and 2012, which have caused the evacuation of nearby residents.

More information on the Stonehaven Flood Protection Scheme, including all related documentation, is available on our website.

Information on the legal process being followed to implement a Flood Protection Scheme is contained in an online leaflet.