A north family who suffered three major floods in just four years were celebrating last night after the council finally pledged action to protect their home.
Jamie Dryden and Donna Boa said their lives would be “completely changed” by new plans for a flood alleviation scheme next to their Kirkhill cottage.
The couple and their two young children have endured a nightmare in the four years since moving into their home in the Wardlaw Road area of the village.
They were forced to move out of their home for a year due to water damage caused by a flood in October 2012.
And just weeks after returning in 2013, their Christmas was ruined by another flood.
They were then left “sick to the stomach” after it happened for a third time last year.
Many homes in the Wardlaw Road area have been subject to frequent flooding in recent years, with heavy downpours leading to an overflow of Kirkhill Burn.
But now Highland Council has advertised a £200,000 contract for work to start on diverting a section of the burn from the road along a new route in the adjacent fields.
The project will involve the construction of a new pipe and a series of pits to catch silt and prevent drains blocking.
Ms Boa and Mr Dryden – who have two children, six-year-old Romi and one-year-old Eva – said last night that they were “delighted and relieved” that the work was finally going out to tender.
Ms Boa, 30, said: “It will completely change our lives. If there is any downpour I am always worrying about it and thinking that I need to quickly drive home.
“And whenever we’ve been on holiday it has been a worry because we can not monitor the house.
“We bought the house at the start of the year but have lived here for four years.
“In 2012 we had the biggest flooding and had to move out for a year to renovate, and it cost us nearly £60,000 in insurance works.
“The year after there was flooding on Christmas Eve which was a real shame for the kids. A lot of their presents were ruined.
“We are happy that everything is now going ahead. It’s probably taken a bit longer than expected but obviously we are absolutely delighted and relieved.”
In January last year, Mr Dryden and Ms Boa were hit by flooding for a third time, and Mr Dryden said then that he had been “left sick to the stomach” by how often it was happening.
The couple were forced to leave their home for a year in October 2012 and only three months after returning, they experienced more flooding on Christmas Eve 2013.
During last year’s floods, firefighters were also called out after cars became stranded in flood water on the old A9 between Inverness and Beauly.
Crews from Inverness pumped water from the road at Inchberry while a tow truck pulled cars from the water.
A council spokesman said: “Wardlaw Road in Kirkhill and a number of properties in the area have been subject to frequent flooding from the Kirkhill Burn.
“Both community services and the Scottish Fire and Rescue Service have attended incidents in the area on numerous occasions in the past.
“Highland Council has investigated the cause of the flooding and are now promoting a diversion of a section of the watercourse, by-passing low-capacity culverts.
“This work will significantly alleviate the risk of flooding, reducing the fear of flooding and disruption to residents in the area as well as the burden on council services”.
It is estimated the contract will be awarded by the end of September and that work will start soon afterwards.