Councillors in Dundee will be asked to approve the first stage of the tendering process for work on two key parts of the coastal protection measures in Broughty Ferry.

The first works will cover the stretch from Grassy Beach to Broughty Ferry Castle and to accept a tender for natural protection measures using reshaped dunes fronting the Esplanade.

Mark Flynn, depute convener of the council's city development committee said: "It is crucial that we not only ensure effectiveness and value for money when delivering flood protection for our coastal communities but also that any scheme is attractive and in keeping with the buildings and streetscape around it.

"Sometimes a natural solution, with a bit of tweaking and sculpting, is the best solution, while in other places sympathetic engineering work will have to be done to make sure people and properties are protected.

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"These two reports demonstrate that one size does not necessarily fit all, but that we will find the right solution for the circumstances."

Councillors will be asked to approve just over £245,000 of minor shaping of the dunes fronting the Esplanade along with measures to help the natural process of making them higher and wider. A management plan to help continue that process will also be put in place.

In a separate report they will also consider approving appointing contractors McLaughlin and Harvey Building and Civil Engineers under the SCAPE framework.

Pre contract design and project development is expected to cost around £350,000, with the full tender price to be brought back for a committee decision in due course.

According to the report outline design, buildability and costing works were carried out with a number of contractors on SCAPE frameworks and after detailed feasibility reports from each, the best value proposals came from McLaughlin and Harvey.

The Scape Framework procurement route offers the council a number of advantages including competitive tender prices, using a contractor's expertise from an early stage and maximising the local supply chain's opportunity to be involved with local authority projects.

If approved it is currently anticipated that the works between Grassy Beach and Broughty Ferry Castle will start in summer and take around 18 months to complete, while activity at dunes on the esplanade is expected to get underway next month and finish in early summer.

The city development committee meets on Monday, 28 January.