What is it?
This is a £15million major engineering scheme which will put measures in place to reduce the impact of flooding on residents and businesses in Campbeltown.
Community Liason Officer
The Council’s contractor DAWSON WAM have a dedicated community liaison officer who is there for any specific local queries about for example access to properties and for deliveries during works. This is Stuart Beresford, Site Manager and he can be reached on 07970380810
Why is it needed?
Campbeltown has suffered flooding at various times in recent decades. This comes from a number of different sources:
- The existing sewer network system cannot cope with increasing amounts of surface water e.g. rainfall.
- The sewer network combines surface water [rainfall] with sewage water from households. When the system is overwhelmed during periods of heavy rain, fouled water backs up out of the system and floods streets.
- On the outskirts of the town there are a number of steep catchment areas where rainwater pools, eventually overflowing and flooding nearby streets.
- There are a number of culverts underneath the town which are now too small to cope with the amount of water.
What will the flood prevention scheme do?
We will take forward a number of different pieces of work to address the various causes of flooding in the town. The overall project is in five parts (the order these will be taken forward is being finalised):
Millknowe
- The field that sits between Hillside Road and Snipefield Industrial Estate will be surrounded by a wall and turned into a storage reservoir which can safely flood during weather events and hold water. The water will then be safely and slowly discharged through a new system.
Dalaruan Street
- Linked to the Millknowe element, a new culvert will be built under Dalaruan Street. This will have enough capacity to allow the flood reservoir to discharge, as well as taking water from the nearby Balegreggan Burn. This will protect Dalaruan Street from future flooding. This part of the scheme will be disruptive as it will be built under the middle of the road, so road closures will be necessary to allow the work to progress safely. This is something which will be carefully planned and communicated – we will be working with the contractor to keep disruption to a minimum and to keep people informed well in advance.
Burnside Square
- New pipelines will be built under roads throughout the town to increase the capacity of the drainage system so that it can better cope with heavy rainfall.
- Many of these new pipelines will lead into a storage tank which will be built underneath Burnside Square. This will do the same thing as the Millknowe reservoir – safely storing water and allowing it to slowly discharge. Burnside Square has been chosen for this because it is at a low point in the town and provides a clear open space to build the tank under. Once this element of the scheme is finished people will see no difference – the tank will be hidden underground. This is another part of the work which will be disruptive and, like the Dalaruan element, this will be carefully planned and communicated – we will be working with the contractor to keep disruption to a minimum and to keep people informed well in advance.
The Meadows
- New pipelines will also be built here to provide more capacity to the system. Three safe storage ponds will be created, two in Meadowpark and one on land off Tomaig Road. These will act in the same way as the Millknowe reservoir and the Burnside Square storage tank, holding water and then allowing it to safely drain away.
Property Flood Resilience scheme
- This scheme provides free upgrades to houses which are primarily affected by flooding. We have already written to all eligible householders and will be contacting them again to provide further information on the options available. Residents can benefit from things such as flood gates, replacement anti-flood air bricks or covers, and waterproofing works.
How has the scheme been developed?
We have monitored the impact of flooding in the town over the last five years and we have investigated several options for mitigating the effects of flooding. During this time a number of public consultations have been held to gather the opinions of the public on different flood management options.
Public feedback on the outline designs has been positive.
The last two years has seen the development of the preferred package of options, and construction works are due to commence in September2022.
What is the total cost?
£15million
How is it being funded?
The scheme is 80% funded by the Scottish Government and 20% funded by Argyll and Bute Council
Who is delivering the scheme?
Argyll and Bute Council is responsible for the project. We have employed AECOM to provide design and project management support and Dawson WAM as the construction contractor for the majority of the works.
The Property Flood Resilience element is separate to the main construction contract – we will be taking that forward through a separate contract once we have completed engagement with householders.
How long will it take?
We expect the whole project to take around two years
Is there a breakdown of the specific schemes, works involved and timeframes?
We are working with the contractor to finalise an outline works programme and the timescales and phasing for the different elements.
Will the council be providing updates on the scheme?
Yes. We will provide monthly updates at the end of each month, and any other specific localised updates as necessary e.g. for road closures.
We will also post the updates on this webpage.
Household letter drops
See attached documents below.
Further information
- Campbeltown Flood Protection Scheme and Surface Water Management Plan - Overview presentation
