Engineers say Brechin’s flood defences are still in “good condition” after the devastating impact of Storm Babet.
Completed in 2016 at a cost of £16 million, the town’s flood wall and pumps were powerless against the might of the River South Esk in October.
Parts of Angus were hit by six months worth of annual rainfall in just 36 hours.
Record river levels inundated the four-metre flood gauge as hundreds of residents were rescued from their homes.
The water overtopped the 1.8 metre flood wall at River Street.
But engineers now say the flood scheme defences have not been badly damaged.
However, doubts are emerging over their ability to cope with severe flood events in the future.
One-in-200-year protection capability
The £16.3m Brechin scheme was designed to cope with a 1-in-200-year incident.
Freedom of Information has revealed no additional climate change protection has been built in since 2016.
And in a ‘Brechin beyond the flood’ update issued this week Angus Council say a new study will look at bolstering protection.
“We have commissioned specialist consultants to carry out a technical assessment of the flood defences,” said the council.
“This has identified that the defences remain in a good condition and continue to provide the same level of protection as originally designed.
“Following this study, a contractor has been commissioned to rebuild the Brechin Bridge wall wing that collapsed during the storm.”
The old wall ran between the flood scheme and Brechin Bridge, which recently re-opened after repairs.
A spokesperson added: “A larger study has started, looking at options for improving the flood resilience of River Street and Brechin.
“This will complement and support work to consider future housing and redevelopment options.”
It emerged this month that 60 Brechin council houses are still uninhabitable after Babet.
“Once this report is finalised, the residents of Brechin will be involved in engagement and consultation before decisions are made,” the council added.
Business support
The council says it took 82 enquiries from Angus businesses looking for help after Storm Babet.
Twenty Brechin businesses received £1,000 emergency grant funding.
And £26k was contributed to repair the electrical substation at the Matrix industrial site.
Unfortunately, the spend has not been enough to save staff at Matrix Engineering.
Last month the firm announced manufacturing and parts production at the East Mill factory was to end.
The factory – left under four feet of water by the storm – will continue as an assembly site. But it is feared dozens of jobs will be lost.
“We administered the Scottish Government Storm Babet recovery grant of £3,000 to 25 businesses in Brechin,” said the council.
North East Conservative MSP Tess White said: “Four months after the dreadful events of Storm Babet, the people of Brechin are still hurting.
“Homes have been gutted, livelihoods lost and businesses are still struggling to make up for lost time.
“A revised Brechin scheme must take note of updated climate projections which make floods like this much more likely — more regular than ‘1-in-200’ protection suggests.”
Conversation