The final phase of a major flood improvement scheme in the outskirts of Inverness has begun, bringing 75 new construction jobs.
The Smithton and Culloden Flood Protection Scheme aims to protect 129 homes which would otherwise be at risk of a flooding.
Council chiefs identified the need for a flood prevention scheme after significant flooding in the area in 2002, July and August 2011 – when 50 homes were affected – and again in October 2014.
Yesterday at Culloden Park, council officials were joined by Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael and representatives from contractor Morrison Construction, which has experience in building flood schemes, most recently in Moray.
Morrison Construction’s managing director of civil engineering, Jim Steele, said: “I am delighted to be here to celebrate this exciting milestone for a scheme that will provide vital flood defences to protect the Smithton and Culloden communities.
“The project will create 75 new jobs during construction and predominately local jobs, as we are a local company and have been operating in Inverness for over 70 years. We are delighted to be working back in our home city of Inverness.”
The scheme’s final £6.2 million phase, 80% of which is Scottish Government funded and the remaining coming from Highland Council, should be completed by autumn next year. The first three phases were much smaller in scale.
Key elements of the upcoming work includes the creation of two large ponds to retain floodwater in Culloden and Smithton parks.
It will also involve the replacement of a culvert between Lochlann Court and Redburn Avenue and removal of a culvert beneath Smithton Park and the removal of a culvert between the railway at Murray Terrace and Smithton Park.
Inverness Provost Helen Carmichael said: “I am delighted to hear there are going to be 75 jobs. Morrisons is a big international company now but it’s still a Highland company and it’s good to see them back here in Inverness doing work like this.”
But David McGrath, chairman of Smithton and Culloden Community Council, said work on the scheme should have started in the early 2000s after the first major flooding event.
And he fears the drainage network may not be able to cope in future after the completion of up to 2,500 new homes at the neighbouring Stratton development.
Mr McGrath said he was also angered that the community was not notified of yesterday’s event at Culloden Park to mark the start of the final phase of works.
He added: “Were they (Highland Council) frightened they would have a demonstration on their hands?”