Plans to commence the long-awaited River Ness Flood Alleviation Scheme in Inverness are already underway, with phase one due to begin on 22 October.

The £23m project is being designed for the Highland Council by Mott MacDonald.

The firm had previously worked as one of three flood defence framework providers to the Highland and Islands Councils.

The scheme is being undertaken to protect 795 residential and 188 non-residential properties from the threat of tidal flooding.

4km of walls and embankments along both sides of the river bank are to be installed, with the upper part of the scheme passing through the central business district of Inverness.

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The work will see the closure of Bank Street and Friar’s Lane to through traffic until February, but work will be suspended between 10 December and 3 January to minimise the impact on Christmas shopping.

Mott MacDonald will also be assisting with simultaneous streetscaping works for the roads bordering the scheme to improve the whole river corridor.

The design will include the realignment of major utilities on both sides of the river.

Planning restrictions require a number of mature trees to be retained and additional trees to be planted.

Laurence Cload, Mott MacDonald's project manager, said: "Mott MacDonald's Inverness office has championed this scheme development for the past 20 years, which together with our vast expertise and experience of working in flood risk analysis was instrumental to this successful appointment."

Investigations and designs are due to be finished by the end of this year, with the entire scheme to be completed in 2015.

(IT)