Dumfries and Galloway Council are set to discuss a £3.4m flood protection plan for Newton Stewart.

The meeting, which will be held by the local authority's Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee next week, has been called in response to increasing levels at River Cree.

In November 2012, flooding saw the river have its highest flow since records began in April 1963.

Since then, different options on how to combat flooding by both the River Cree and Penkiln Burn have been explored. As part of the investigations, a suggestion of upstream storage as a flood risk management option was dismissed, while plans to remove the gravel island was also said to have little benefit. Two actions were recommended however, with the construction of defence walls and raising the Sparling footbridge.

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There are now plans to develop these options into viable solutions and determine possible funding for the schemes.

The local authority has said Scottish Government help would be needed to take the work forward. In the meantime, Councillors will be asked to agree to spend £20,000 for these investigations and to consider lower-cost early intervention measures.

An additional £10,000 is being sought to install equipment to support SEPA in developing a flood warning system similar to that operated on the Whitesands, Dumfries, which provides a three-hour warning of flooding.

Another option being considered by Councillors is the development of a "mini flood pod". This would be based in Newton Stewart and carries equipment such as barriers and absorbent sandbags that can be used to protect property.

Councillor Colin Smyth, Chair of the Economy, Environment and Infrastructure Committee said: "I believe it's vital that we do all we possibly can to mitigate flooding in the region and that's why I want to see measures agreed for Newton Stewart.

"It could take significant money to build defensive walls to create a full flood prevention scheme for the town and that will be subject to securing Scottish Government funding. However, in the short term an early warning system and flood pod could prove invaluable.

"If agreement is given to a flood warning scheme, locals who sign up will receive texts and emails alerting them to predicted flooding. This has proved beneficial in other parts of Dumfries and Galloway."

(JP)