Water works

Flooding has always been an issue in the UK, more so with the effects of climate change, but one council in Scotland has decided enough is enough.

Comrie in Scotland has experienced a history of flooding from the Water of Ruchill, the River Earn and the River Lednock affecting nearly 200 homes and businesses. According to Perth and Kinross Council, significant flood events occurred in January 1993, February 1997, December 2006 and in August and November 2012. As a consequence, the council completed flood protection works in 2013 that included rock armour protection to the riverbank at Ruchilside and a new flood embankment at Camp Road. However, these did not address the remaining flood risk from the River Earn or the River Lednock, or the combined risk from all three rivers.

Step forward Balfour Beatty, which has been awarded a £27m contract to deliver the Comrie flood protection scheme and has previously delivered the Almondbank flood protection scheme for the council. Almondbank comprised a series of flood defences including flood walls, raised embankments and erosion protection measures along the River Almond, protecting 150 properties.

The Comrie scheme will see Balfour Beatty construct 2.8km of river walls and embankments along the Ruchill River, River Earn and River Lednock. While the area is known for regular flooding, the defences are being designed to meet a ‘one-in-200-year flood’ standard of protection. This ensures they can handle even severe flooding events that only have a 0.5% chance of occurring each year. They are also being designed with a further factor of safety (known as ‘freeboard’) to allow for the uncertainties involved in flood estimation and other physical factors such as wave action.  

Works are due to commence imminently, with completion expected in autumn 2026. At construction peak, the schemes will employ a workforce of around 100 people, including 10 apprenticeship, graduate and trainee positions. The Balfour Beatty team will also spend 50 hours visiting local schools to help educate students on the benefits of sustainable construction, how the scheme will protect the local area, and the opportunities a career in the industry can offer.

The Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act

Comrie is located in the River Earn catchment within Potentially Vulnerable Area 02/08/13. The flood protection scheme has been included within the national priority list of flood schemes and the council secured the necessary statutory approval for it under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act 2009 in 2021. The funding is shared between the Scottish government (80%) and the council (20%), with the value of each share fixed at the point of the main construction contract award.  

Actions to manage the risk of flooding in the area are based on work that identified where the risk of flooding and the benefits of investment are greatest. There are 17 areas that have been identified as being potentially vulnerable to flood risk across the Tay local plan district – these include 2,500 residential and 1,400 non-residential properties. The estimated annual average damage of these flood risks is £12.5m. The impacts of flooding experienced by individuals, communities and businesses can be devastating, costly and long-lasting. Councillor Grant Laing, Leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said the complex scheme should bring peace of mind to those who have experienced the trauma of repeated flooding over the years.

Details of the scheme can be viewed at b.link/PKC_Comrieflood
Read more on the Tay Flood Risk Plans b.link/LFRMP_Tay

Image credit | Perth and Kinross Council