Significant damage caused to the breakwater at Pittenweem Harbour during a violent storm last September could cost up to £2 million to repair, it has emerged.
Councillors have been told that because the anticipated repair costs are vastly in excess of the council’s annual harbours routine repairs budget of around £230,000, repairs will likely be dependent on external funding being secured including possible emergency funding from the Scottish Government.
Despite the pier being closed to pedestrians for safety reasons and no timescale for funding in place, councillors have been assured the damage presents no immediate risk to fishing vessels and is not being classed as an “emergency” as the breakwater still performs its function.
However, councillors were told that the longer the breakwater is left unrepaired, the worse it could get with costs soaring even higher.
Pittenweem is the home of the Fife fishing fleet. It has around 35 fishing boats with combined annual sales of around £3.5 million.
The 100m-long breakwater extension was constructed in 1992-93 to provide additional protection to the harbour entrance channel from easterly waves. A severe storm on September 24 and 25 last year caused cracks to form in the breakwater.
An inspection by Fife Council’s transportation and environmental services team on October 6 established that part of the breakwater caisson 3 had moved downwards, causing a tapering, horizontal crack to open.
The problem worsened with some concrete rupturing on the top deck.
The breakwater suffered again in a storm on December 15 which caused widespread damage and flooding in Fife and beyond. This caused yet further cracking in the breakwater, with part of the breakwater slipping downwards and becoming cracked and distorted.
Murray Scott, Fife Council consultant engineer, structural services, told Fife Council’s north east Fife area committee that in an ideal world repairs would be carried out before next winter. However, the council was not in a financial position to make that commitment.
Mr Scott said: “Fife Council will continue to examine all potential sources of funding for repairs… regular monitoring will continue as further movement is still being noted.”