Scottish Water has announced an investment of £2.5 million flood protection scheme in Stonehouse, South Lanarkshire.

Part of the new works will include the installation of a new sewer pipe in the land between Vicars Road and Spital Road to help divert storm waters to a sewer with greater capacity.

Part of the new sewer route is beneath Stonehouse Primary School's playing pitch. Scottish Water's delivery partner Caledonia Water Alliance will tunnel underneath the pitch to avoid causing severe disruption to the school and neighbouring properties.

Scottish Water's corporate affairs manager for the west Georgina Reid said: "The existing sewage infrastructure is old and now requires improvement. We recognise how distressing it can be for customers who may experience flooding.

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"This is a significant investment and a major operation for our delivery partners, which will provide resilience on the sewer network serving the community of Stonehouse for many years to come.

"We have worked with staff at Stonehouse Primary to minimise any impact to the school and we are developing opportunities for pupils to learn about the engineering challenges of delivering a project on this scale."

Work is due to begin on Monday 18 October 2021 and will be completed in four phases over the next eight months.

After the initial two-week set up period, pipe laying and connection works will begin on Spital Road on Monday 1 November with the road closed for one month. Associated pipe laying in the Tileworks sports ground will continue until the end of April.

Tunnelling under the grounds and pitch of Stonehouse Primary will begin in January and take approximately three months to complete.

The final phase will commence in January 2022 with pipes being replaced along a section of Townhead Street and Vicars Road.

All traffic management arrangements have been agreed with South Lanarkshire Council.

We would like to thank road users and residents in advance for their patience and understanding during these essential works.