Inverness South West Inverness Flood Channel Work Begins

1st June 2010

Work began this week on the first two of three phases of the Inverness South West Inverness Flood Relief Channel, which will divert flood water from the south side of Inverness away from residential properties in Hilton, Lochardil, and Holm by collecting overflow water from the burns on the south side of Inverness and channelling it into the River Ness.

The scheme is broken down into three phases and the replacement of Holm Burn Bridge. The total cost is estimated at £10 million.

Phases 1 and 2 have been let as one contract for £2.5 million to George Leslie Ltd. This contract runs for 40 weeks.

Phase 1 commences at the River Ness and travels up the Holm Burn to Holm Burn Bridge. The works involve increasing the capacity of Holm Burn, bunding works on the banks, the widening and deepening of an existing sediment pond and the construction of a fish pass. There are also some accommodation works in this phase, which include the replacement of two bridges.

Phase 2 commences at the Holm Burn just downstream of Torbreck Bridge and terminates at Culduthel Channel. The works involve construction of the confluence at Holm Burn, a sedimentation pond and weir to catch sediment from the channel prior to its discharge into the Holm Burn. The channel travels in a culvert until beyond Essich Road, and then travels largely in open channel until Culduthel Channel.

Phase 3 commences at Culduthel Channel and terminates at Alt na Skiah, taking in Lochardil Burn, Slackbuie Channel and Slackbuie Spring. The channel is a combination of culverted sections and open channel. This section will be further subdivided to coincide with the programme of funding.

Holm Burn Bridge is to be replaced to provide greater flow capacity. Negotiations are well advanced to include in this contract the widening with a footpath/cycleway required for an adjacent development, being funded by others.

Councillor John Laing, Chairman of Transport Environmental and Community Services, welcomed the investment in this important flood prevention scheme in Inverness.

He said: "I am delighted that the Council has made a start with this important scheme which will provide flood protection for many houses on the south side of Inverness. It is important that the Council takes account of the impact of climate change by investing in flood mitigation measures such as this to ensure that cost effective measures are in place to deal with exceptional weather flood events as and when they may arise in the future."