This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
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Investment in flood protection schemes
30/09/2004
Additional investment to protect 4,200 more homes and
businesses from the threat of flooding was announced
today.
Executive funding of £89 million will allow local
authorities to invest a total of £111 million in a
programme of flood prevention schemes.
Deputy Environment Minister Allan Wilson announced the
allocation of new money from the Scottish Budget at the
National Flooding Conference in Edinburgh.
Mr Wilson said:
"After the wettest August in decades there can be no
doubt that we need to act now to address the effects of
climate change.
"We are determined to do more to help local authorities
protect vulnerable areas from flooding.
"I am well aware of the misery and distress, as well as
the cost to people and the economy, that flooding can
cause.
"Today, the Scottish Executive has strengthened its
commitment to communities threatened by flooding with
additional investment and increased levels of grant
available to local authorities from 50 to 80 per cent of
total costs.
"I look forward to local authorities throughout Scotland
bringing forward sustainable flood prevention schemes to
further protect homes and businesses in their
communities."
The additional funding was announced as part of £3.2
billion pledged to Environment and Rural Affairs Department
from the Scottish Budget.
The Executive has committed £29 million towards flood
prevention and coast protection over the last three
years.
Grants are available under the Flood Prevention
(Scotland) Act 1961 to authorities for confirmed flood
prevention schemes to mitigate the flooding of
non-agricultural land. Rates were last increased in 1992 to
a flat rate of 50 per cent for all schemes meeting the
Executive's technical, environmental and economic criteria.
Ministers agreed that this be increased to 80 per cent from
April 1, 2004.
Grants are also available under the Coast Protection Act
1949 to authorities for approved coast protection schemes
to protect any land against erosion and encroachment by the
sea. Grant rates were frozen in 1992 at the rates then in
payment which had been tiered from 20 per cent to 80 per
cent. Ministers agreed that they also be increased in line
with flood prevention grant.
The Flooding conference is designed to promote current
practices on Sustainable Flood Management. It provides
delegates with an opportunity to discuss the effectiveness
of approaches taken and, ultimately, to better protect
their areas from flooding taking into account the
uncertainties of climate change.
Scotland, as part of Great Britain as a whole, has also
become the first country in the world to digitally map its
entire land area in order to aid flood prevention.
The digital terrain maps are models of the surface of
the earth which provide the most current and accurate
digital data of Scotland. The data will assist the
development of Scottish Environment Protection Agency
(SEPA) flood risk maps which will be accessible to the
public early next year.