Scotland’s Deputy First Minister John Swinney was given a guided tour of Elgin’s flood alleviation scheme during a visit to the north yesterday.
The £86m project – which will protect hundreds of homes and businesses along the River Lossie from flooding – was funded by the Scottish Government and Mr Swinney’s visit came as it entered its final stages.
Mr Swinney joked that by timing his trip on a Friday afternoon dampened by wet weather, he would be able to see the flood alleviation scheme being put through its paces.
During the visit, Moray Council’s consultancy manager Dave Gowans took the Deputy First Minister from the historic footbridge that leads to Elgin Cathedral and over the £7million Landshut Bridge, explaining the key components of the programme.
After gaining an insight into the massive project, Mr Sweeney said he was confident it could offer “reassurance” to residents who once lived in fear of flooding.
He said: “I remember canvassing in Elgin with Richard Lochhead MSP and Angus Robertson MP in 2006, and noticing a number of properties had individually taken measures against flooding.
“You could see how much of a concern this was.
“The flood alleviation scheme is something that should be a great source of reassurance to the general public, and I’m delighted to have received the opportunity to see it firsthand.”
He added: “Already this scheme is making an impact to the local economy, as I understand that Glen Moray distillery has invested in expanding its premises due to the lack of flood risk.”
Prior to attending the project itself, the Deputy First Minister visited Elgin’s Mansion House Hotel, where flood protection work involved dismantling and rebuilding – stone by stone – a wall which separates the hotel grounds from the river.
Elgin suffered devastating flooding in 1997, 2002 and 2009 – and there have been several other occasions in recent years when the river has come close to invading homes and businesses.
The Elgin scheme is the last in a series of five flood alleviation projects to have been built in Moray over the past seven years, at a total cost of £150million. The others were Lhanbryde, Rothes, the Burn of Mosset at Forres and the River Findhorn and Pilmuir scheme, also at Forres.