Work is well underway on the first two phases of the Inverness South West Flood Relief Scheme and a contract for a third phase of work will be awarded early next month.

The £10 million scheme will divert flood water from the south side of Inverness away from residential properties in Hilton, Lochardil, and Holm by collecting overflow water from the burns on the south side of Inverness and channelling it into the River Ness.

Phase one commences at the River Ness and travels up the Holm Burn to Holm Burn Bridge. The works involve increasing the capacity of Holm Burn, bunding works on the banks, the widening and deepening of an existing sediment pond and the construction of two footbridges and a fish pass.

Phase two commences at the Holm Burn just downstream of Torbreck Bridge and terminates at the Culduthel Channel. The works involve construction of the confluence at Holm Burn, a sedimentation pond and weir to catch sediment from the channel prior to its discharge into the Holm Burn. The channel travels in a culvert until beyond Essich Road, and then travels largely in open channel until Culduthel Channel.

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Phase three will follow directly on from the completion of phases one and two. Phase three begins at Culduthel Channel and ends at Lochardil Burn, the channel over this section is predominantly culverted with a short length of open channel.

Phase 4 is programmed to commence in the Spring of 2011 and commences at Lochardil Burn and ends at Ault na Skiah, taking in Lochardil Burn, Slackbuie Channel and Slackbuie Spring. The channel is a combination of culverted sections and open channel.

As part of the overall scheme Holm Burn Bridge is to be replaced to provide greater flow capacity. Negotiations are well advanced to include in this contract the widening of Dores Road and the extension of the footpath/cycleway required for an adjacent development, being funded by others, which it is hoped will allow work to commence in January 2011.

Work of the first two phases is being carried out by George Leslie Ltd.

Inverness councillors were recently given a tour of the works.

Provost Jimmy Gray, Chairman of the Council’s Inverness City Committee, said: “I am delighted that the Council is making such good progress on this important scheme which will provide flood protection for many houses on the south side of Inverness. It is important that the Council takes account of the impact of climate change by investing in flood mitigation measures such as this to ensure that cost effective measures are in place to deal with exceptional weather flood events as and when they may arise in the future.”

(GK/KMcA)