Stirling Council has selected a preferred design solution for a new £15 million flood prevention scheme for Bridge of Allan.

Works on the scheme are set to begin in the summer of 2026 and are estimated to take up to 18 months.

The latest defense strategy intends to safeguard 87 properties and 700 meters of road from Allan Water flooding. This will be achieved by increasing the height of the existing flood walls along Allanvale Road and Cornton Road, and raising the height of Cornton Road over the area near Haws Park.

The project will receive £12 million in funding from the Scottish Government as part of the national Funding of Flood Scheme Protections program, with an additional £3 million contributed by Stirling Council.

In November 2023, the Bridge of Allan community participated in consultations regarding the proposals. The new defence scheme is tailored to safeguard against a flood that statistically occurs once every 50 years.

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Constructed during the 1970s and 1980s, the existing defences are now deemed inadequate, with certain sections in poor condition. They fail to offer adequate flood protection against the escalating flood events attributable to climate change.

Convener of the Environment, Transport and Net Zero committee, Cllr Jen Preston, said: "The Bridge of Allan Flood Protection Scheme is a significant infrastructure project that aims to reduce the risks from the Allan Water and help the community with future resilience.

"We know how damaging floods can be in our local communities and the distress it causes to households and businesses. Extreme weather events are becoming more commonplace as a result of climate change and we must become more preventative and less reactive.

"The option we’ve selected for Bridge of Allan maximises the number of properties to be protected, while maintaining the best use of public funds. It will also follow the alignment of the existing flood protection scheme as much as possible, which will minimise disruption to residents and local businesses."

Drop-in information events will be held at Bridge of Allan library on Tuesday 16 April from 2pm to 7pm and Thursday 18 April from 9am to 1pm. An online information session will also be held via Microsoft Teams on Wednesday 17 April from 6pm-7pm.

Residents can make any formal objections to the proposal until 23 April 2024.