Flood works on course to be completed in early 2024

Work on Campbeltown's £15 million flood protection scheme is expected to be completed by around February 2024, as good progress continues to be made on the two-year project.

 

Argyll and Bute Council's roads and infrastructure services team has provided an update on the project which involves a range of large-scale improvements across Campbeltown to minimise the risk of flooding.

 

Specialist civil engineering and piling contractors DAWSON WAM and construction engineering company Aecom are carrying out the works, alongside local contractors.

 

The scheme, which is 80 per cent funded by the Scottish Government and 20 per cent funded by the council, is split into four parts: Millknowe, Burnside, Meadows and Dalaruan.

 

In the Millknowe area, the field that sits between Hillside Road and Snipefield Industrial Estate has been surrounded by a sheet piled wall and turned into a storage reservoir which, during weather events, can safely flood and hold water which will then be safely and slowly discharged through a new system.

 

Contractors are now working on the embankment/earthworks and more drainage, and expect this part of the scheme to be completed around October 2023.

 

As part of the project, new pipelines are being 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 lead into a storage tank which has been built underneath Burnside Square which will also safely store water and allow it to slowly discharge.

 

The tank installation provided local residents and businesses with the opportunity to have their say on how they would like the square used after the work was completed and, following a public consultation, 57 per cent of people said they would like the area to be a flexible events space and car park.

 

New features will include pavement café areas on both Harvey’s Lane and Cross Street as well as within the square itself, additional spaces for disabled parking, an additional vehicle exit onto Union Street, available space in the square maximised for community use, and electricity points to support events.

 

The council will publish the finalised plans soon but, in the meantime, contractors are laying new block paving, in keeping with the previous finish, so that the square can re-open as a car parking area until the public realm details are agreed.

 

“We are now looking at the square reopening for public/pedestrian use before the end of June, but remaining closed to cars/traffic until later in July,” said a roads and infrastructure services spokesperson.

 

“This is to allow the new entrance and exits to be completed and for the appropriate signage to be in place, as well as allowing drainage works on Burnside Street to be completed.

 

“To help us get a better understanding for the technical requirements for the electrical points, we would like to hear from anyone who has experience of hosting events in the square.

 

“This will give us an insight into how you would like to use power points for events – what sort of things you might need power for – so that we can design something which meets the needs of local events as far as possible.”

 

Anyone with ideas about event power requirement is invited to email roadsandinfrastructure@argyll-bute.gov.uk to share their thoughts.

 

"attachment_962290" "aligncenter" "300"] Finalised plans for Burnside Square are still to be revealed but contractors are currently laying new block paving.

 

Works in nearby Argyll Street and at Castlehill and Ralston Road are complete, while the drainage installation on Burnside Street is ongoing.

 

Drainage works are also required on Witchburn Road and, because of the nature of the works and the narrowness of the road, it is likely that a road closure will be required.

 

“We are working with the contractor to develop these plans, and have asked the contractors to carry the works out during the summer months, rather than during school times,” said the spokesperson.

 

“Like previous road closures on the scheme, this is likely to be what is called a rolling closure, where sections of the road are closed at a time, rather than a whole stretch.”

 

Works are due to commence July 3 and are expected to last around six weeks. Diversion routes will be in place around the Meadows area for cars and along the Moss Road for HGVs, with specific arrangements in place to maintain local access.

 

At Meadows, new pipelines have been built under roads to provide more capacity in the system, and three safe storage ponds have been created, two in Meadowpark and one in land off Tomaig Road. These will also hold water during weather events and then allow it to safely drain away.

 

Now that all works under these streets have been completed, all roads will be fully resurfaced soon, with works commencing on Meadowburn Place from June 12.

 

The final element of the scheme that is yet to start is the installation of new drainage under Dalaruan Street.

 

This was originally planned to have been carried out earlier in the project but plans to install a new box culvert had to change as a result of the layout of existing services under the road.

 

The designs are being revised to provide drainage pipelines rather than a culvert; these have enough capacity to allow the flood reservoir to discharge, as well as taking water from the nearby Balegreggan Burn.

 

“These works are likely to be quite disruptive, although potentially less so than had the original culvert plans gone ahead,” said the spokesperson.

 

“At the moment, we are expecting works to start in the summer holidays, with a focus initially on the area nearest the primary school.

 

“We will shortly be confirming dates for a public information event on this part of the scheme at the Dalintober Primary School.

 

“This is part of a wider package of measures we will have in place to keep people well informed of these works and we will to do everything possible to keep disruption to a minimum.”

 

Councillor Andrew Kain, the council’s policy lead for roads and infrastructure services, added: “The improvements that we are carrying out will help to safeguard the town from the historic flooding it has experienced in the past, and will provide reassurance to local businesses and residents for years to come.

 

“Together with our contractors, we are doing everything we can to get the necessary work done quickly with as little disturbance as possible.

 

“I know the works have been disruptive at times, and I appreciate that the road closure at Witchburn Road will be a particular inconvenience. I would therefore like to thank those affected for their patience and co-operation during this time.”

 

Visit www.argyll-bute.gov.uk/environment/flood-advice/campbeltown-flood-protection-scheme for updates on the project.