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Elgin flood scheme
20/12/2010
The go-ahead has been given for Moray Council's proposed Elgin Flood Protection Scheme which will help protect homes and businesses in the town from the risk of flooding from the River Lossie.
Roseanna Cunningham, Minister for Environment and Climate Change, announced today that the scheme has been confirmed with modifications as recommended in the report of the public inquiry.
She said:
"I'm pleased to announce the confirmation of this scheme which means that Moray Council can go ahead with the flood prevention scheme for Elgin.
"Over the years, the town has been blighted by flooding, the most severe events occurring in 1997, 2002 and September 2009 which resulted in 600 people having to leave their homes and substantial damage being caused.
"This scheme will provide a high level of protection for local people and businesses in the area and is part of the Scottish Government's approach to sustainable flood risk management.
"Taking climate change into account, the scheme will reduce the risk of flooding to more than 700 homes and businesses to less than one per cent. This will provide lasting benefits to people's health and to the environment."
The former flooding capital grant scheme was incorporated into the local authority capital allocations following the 2007 Concordat between local authorities and the Government. This ended the former ring fencing of funding and gave individuals councils the flexibility to manage their budgets to meet local priorities. Funding for the Elgin scheme, and other known schemes, was included into Moray's financial allocation.
Moray Council submitted the Scheme to the Scottish Ministers for confirmation under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act 1961 in November 2007. Objections to the Scheme were considered at a public local inquiry (the Inquiry) held in Elgin on 23 to 25 September 2009. Following the Inquiry and the subsequent exchange of written submissions, the Reporter decided that he required further information from Moray Council in order to complete his report.
He held a procedural meeting with the Council and objectors in Elgin on January 29, 2010 to discuss his further requirements. The Council then produced a report of additional studies in early April. Following written comments from objectors, the Reporter reopened the inquiry for one day on May 28, 2010. Final submissions from objectors and from the Council in relation to the additional studies were completed by the middle of June 2010 and the Reporter submitted his Report in August 2010.