Angus Council chiefs have ruled out a “managed retreat” to remove people and property from the threat of a repeat of Storm Babet in Brechin.
They say the idea of taking people and buildings away from the flood risk area would be too complex and come at huge financial cost.
And it could set a precedent for other flood-risk Angus communities.
But they also have no plans to reinstate dozens of council houses which continue to lie empty following the devastation of October 2023.
Next week, officials will put a series of recommendations before councillors.
It is the latest step along the town’s road to recovery after it found itself at the epicentre of the storm disaster.
Consultation to begin on range of Storm Babet options
If councillors agree, consultation on a range of proposals could begin within weeks.
These include:
- Discount a full managed retreat from the area of risk
- Discount a new full flood protection scheme
- Do not progress with the reinstatement of affected council housing stock in the River Street area
- Develop designs to raise the current flood scheme by 0.5 metres
- Demolish former Brechin leisure centre at The Inch
- Demolish empty Meikle Mill block of flats
There are still around 60 council properties unoccupied since hundreds of residents in the River Street area were forced to flee their homes.
Babet prompted the largest multi-agency rescue operation ever seen in Angus.
The cost of replacing or reinstating the council housing has been put at up to £17m.
But officials say it is simply not worth it.
“This is because even pre-Babet, these properties were difficult to let, were not popular and were not in a good condition,” say the council
“If agreed, a detailed consultation will start to explore and agree future options for housing in the River Street area and across Brechin.”
They also say a completely new flood scheme would cost around £34m.
“This does not offer good value for money, nor is it likely to successfully attract additional external funding,” the report states.
“The scale of work and timescales would significantly impact on the local community, possibly affecting existing housing and it would be difficult to develop a viable design that could secure planning consent.”
Instead, the council believes it can raise the Brechin flood wall by half a metre for around £3m.
Council ‘cannot build its way out of flood risk’
Communities convener Councillor Tommy Stewart said: “This is an important report that is the culmination of a lot of behind the scenes work understanding interconnected nature of the challenges faced.
“It represents a way forward for the people whose lives have been so devastated by flooding.
“It is clear from the technical reports that sadly we cannot build our way out of the flood risk problem.
“Climate change is having a huge impact on the ability to predict flood risk going forward, and we do not have unlimited time, resources or funds.
“Therefore, it is important to take both the new flood protection scheme and a complete withdrawal from the area off the table and start working alongside the community on the projects that will deliver lasting change, keep them safe and allow them to move on with their lives.
“I am keen that we get moving quickly on these recommendations so that we can deliver for the people of Brechin.”
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