PROPOSALS for the Grangemouth flood protection scheme, which would be the largest of its kind in Scotland, are to move to the statutory notification stage, Falkirk Council has announced.
The news means that the project, which the local authority estimates will cost between £450 million and £670 million, will now move forward with the council seeking the necessary power under flood risk management (Scotland) act 2009 to implement the scheme.
The initiative aims to protect more than 6,025 people, 2,760 residential properties, 1,200 commercial properties, and 23 kilometres of roads in the areas of Grangemouth, Wholeflats, Glensburgh, Langlees, Carron, Carronshore, and Camelon together with the Grangemouth Industrial Complex.
Falkirk Council explained the number of protected properties and kilometres of infrastructure has increased as the scheme design has developed and reached the finalised outline design stage. The new figures take account of the finalised flood risk modelling and new data being available such as building, topographical and hydrological data.
The statutory scheme notice, planned for issue at the end of March, will contain information on where the scheme documents can be viewed as well as where and how any objections can be made.
Councillor Cecil Meiklejohn, leader of Falkirk Council, said, “I am pleased that we have this important agreement to bring GFPS forward to notification and to move forward with this nationally significant scheme that I hope will continue to be fully supported by the Scottish Government. It will protect the vital economic hub of Grangemouth, from floods caused by local rivers and coastal flooding from the Firth of Forth. It’s crucial for safeguarding and protecting not only local but national interests.”
