26 January 2017

Stonehaven Flood Protection Scheme Public Hearing

A public hearing will take place in March to consider outstanding objections to a Flood Protection Scheme (FPS) for the town of Stonehaven.

Following a consultation on the scheme, 12 objections were received – four were resolved through negotiation but the others remain outstanding.

In accordance with legislative procedures, Aberdeenshire Council took a preliminary decision to support the project in January 2016 despite the objections, which officers consider to be outweighed by the benefits to the wider community.

The scheme is designed to reduce future flood risk in the town, which has been badly affected by flooding in the past.

The River Carron scheme extends from the Red Bridge on Low Wood Road downstream to the sea and works are also proposed on the nearby Glasslaw Burn.

Design work has been progressing on the £16.5 million project since councillors gave the go-ahead.

Scottish Ministers notified the council that they would not call in the scheme for a Public Inquiry, referring it back to the Council to hold a hearing.

By law this hearing has to take place before the Council can proceed. It will consider the objections, giving opportunity for representation.

The hearing will be presided over by an independent Scottish Government Reporter at St James Church Hall in Stonehaven from March 28–30.

Following the outcome of the hearing, the Reporter will give his findings and Aberdeenshire Council must then decide how to proceed.

The FPS has been designed to reduce the risk of flooding to residential, community and business properties both directly along the River Carron, as well as the wider town centre and into the Old Town.

The Flood Protection Scheme (formal order) was promoted under the terms of the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009. Consultation as part of this process led to the objections received.

The promotion of a Formal Order for the Stonehaven FPS was considered necessary to deliver a scheme to protect the town quickly.

The Order would provide the council with power to secure entry to the land required to build the scheme, it also provides the necessary consents, such as planning, listed building and conservation consents.

A licence for engineering works on and adjacent to the affected watercourses is also required to be issued by both SEPA and Marine Licence authority.

Extensive discussions have been undertaken with various agencies throughout the development of the scheme to ensure delivery can be achieved in a timely manner, taking all concerns into account.

Hearing documents will be available from early March and can be viewed at Aberdeenshire Council’s offices at Woodhill House in Aberdeen and at Viewmount in Stonehaven. Copies will also be available at Stonehaven Library on Evan Street.