Stonehaven’s long-awaited £16million flood defence scheme may have to be revised due to a string of objections from locals.
Members of Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee will next week discuss the proposals, which have received 11 objections from residents.
The plans have been drawn up in response to severe flooding to homes and businesses in the town in 2009 and 2012, caused by the River Carron bursting its banks.
Councillors will next week be asked to make a preliminary decision on the proposals.
But concerns have been raised that the scheme would have a detrimental visual impact on Stonehaven, with some worried about the erection of masonry walls along the Carron in the town.
The plans also include modifying the bridges along the river.
One objector, who has been flooded in the past, described it as an “extravagant scheme” adding: “The scheme as proposed is far more extensive and damaging to the amenity of the town than it needs to be and fails to address the reasons why the lower parts of the river do not always manage to contain the flow of water.
“It includes no efforts to hold water back from entering the town, thus requiring these ugly concrete walls which should simply not be needed.
“In short, we would be destroying the green heart of the town, for no good reason.”
Council officers are now considering modifying some of the proposals with the view to eliminating the concerns.
A spokesman said: “Officers involved in the project entered into negotiations with some objectors to try to address the issues they raised and if possible, modified the proposals to reach a suitable solution for all parties.”