An Angus caravan park owner, facing the prospect of losing his firm to compulsory purchase, has hit out at councillors opposing flood alleviation measures.
Allan Murray and his family run Eastmill Caravan Site in Brechin, sited downstream from a gravel bank in the South Esk river that is being considered for removal.
It has been proposed the bank should be excavated to allow a greater flow of water past the River Street area, which burst its banks in 2002.
Last week Angus Council strategic policy committee voted in favour of progressing the work however, some councillors opposed the plan, claiming the damage to the environment would be too great.
The alternative is to wait for the Scottish Government to come up with £14m to carry out a wider flood prevention scheme. However, this would mean 25% of the caravan park land would be taken over by the council for the development.
Mr Murray has submitted a written objection to Holyrood in a bid to block the major works but has given his backing to the £125,000 programme to remove the gravel bank.
He said, “As one of a number of business owners who have actively campaigned for the removal of this gravel bank for many years, I was appalled to read of the opposition to the proposal.”
He continued, “After many decades of consultations and fancy plans we are still no nearer to a solution, except to have the gravel removed which would at least reduce the level by up to six inches and give more time to prepare sandbags.
“More importantly, it would allow Scottish Water sewers to flow more easily into the river instead of surcharging through the gulleys and manholes in River Street, and within the caravan site.
“This could have been carried out prior to the last flooding in 2002 and all for the sake of four or five thousand pounds.
“Instead Angus Council in their wisdom, as decreed by the Scottish Government have spent over £1.7m in consultancy fees and staff costs without any councillor batting an eyelid yet when it comes to actually doing something, they throw up their hands in horror.”
The Murray family is investing a six-figure sum in improvements to Eastmill, and claim the park’s closure would be a heavy economic blow to Brechin.
A spokeswoman for Angus Council said, “At a recent meeting of the council’s strategic policy committee it was agreed to continue the promotion of the removal of the gravel bank from the River South Esk at River Street, to progress the procurement of additional specialist consultancy work and the statutory consents to enable this work to be undertaken.
“If approved by the relevant statutory bodies the removal of the gravel bank would reduce the flood risk in the short term.
“Additionally, a further detailed report will be brought to infrastructure services committee after the summer recess to discuss capital funding options for the major, long-term flood alleviation scheme, which the council is continuing to develop in partnership with other organisations.”
Before any work to remove the gravel bank in the river can be undertaken, the local authority is obliged by environmental legislation to consider the presence of, and the impact any work may have on, mussels.