Town’s flood scheme is ready for public airing

THE next key stage in the process of developing a flood protection scheme in Langholm is a series of engagement events.

A report to Dumfries and Galloway Council’s communities committee said the events would be held once COVID-19 restrictions were eased.

This would include on site mock-ups of the defences and drop-in sessions in the Buccleuch Centre in Langholm.

The current earliest estimated timeline for the next stages is for these sessions to be carried out in late summer followed by a six-month environmental impact assessment and publication in mid-2022.

A further report would be submitted detailing outcomes of this additional engagement work and proposals for the scheme’s continued development.

With regard to Holmwood, a survey is underway with all the residents in that area to seek details of the frequency and extent of any surface water flooding.

A report on this survey and possible solutions/options will be considered by a future meeting of this committee

The council identified Langholm as potentially vulnerable to a 1 in 200-year flood  and submitted a bid to the Scottish government for funding.

The government gives 80 per cent funding for approved schemes, leaving the council to pay 20 per cent. The current estimated cost is £10m.

Under the scheme, there would be a mixture of walls, partly solid, partly glass and earth embankments, ranging in height from about 1m to 2m.

They would run along Mary Street, Frances Street, Elizabeth Street, George Street, Caroline Street, Waterside and downstream to past the sewage works.

It would also include a 50-metre-wide, shallow channel through Buccleuch Park to divert floodwater from the Wauchope into the Esk.

The updated programme and timescales for the flood protection scheme are: May/June/July review and finalise publication documents; prepare landowner plan and notification address list; draft on-site display boards; review draft environmental impact assessment scoping

report; and issue ward member summary/update; prepare detailed update forward members and community council; consider next series of engagement events and draft designs for mock-ups of defences; presentation and webinar forward members and community council;

send community newsletter; plan for engagement events in Buccleuch Centre.

August/September/October: engagement event three; consider and assess feedback from engagement event and finalise scheme outline design; review and issue final environmental impact assessment scoping report; report to committee for approval of next steps.

November to April, 2022: undertake environmental impact assessment.