A collapsed wall at Gardner Street in Dundee will cost £830,000 to repair if council chiefs approve the work, but reimbursement from the owner will be sought.
Residents have been barred from their homes for more than 15 months following the landslip, although they may finally be permitted back into their homes if the retaining wall behind the block of flats is repaired.
Work has been delayed by an impasse between the council and Hillcrest Housing Association over ownership of the retaining wall.
Ken Guild, convener of the council’s policy and resources committee, said: “Although there is still a problem in identifying who was responsible for the wall and its collapse, the council can use its legal powers to step in and carry out permanent repairs and after such a protracted length of time this is the right thing to do.
“I know that there has been a considerable amount of work done to identify ownership and liability for the repairs and at the same time the council has carried out building surveys and other practical work to ensure the situation did not deteriorate.”
The policy and resources committee will be asked on Monday to approve Sir Robert McAlpine to carry out the necessary works to reinstate the retaining wall.Photo gallery: Gardner Street landslip