Dumfries and Galloway Council have proposed a flood prevention scheme for the Whitesands area of Dumfries. The Council have stated that “the start of construction works will be dependent on the funding being available from the Scottish Government.” I am calling on the Scottish Government to rule out providing specific funding for this project for the following reasons.
LOCAL OPPOSITION
The Strength of feeling from so many people prompted me to raise a petition against the flood defense system proposed by Dumfries and Galloway council.
The petition has gone from strength and now has 4000 signatures.
The opposition comes from local businesses and the general public including visitors to Dumfries.
The people don’t want to lose the river view and their important safe car parking within easy reach of the main post office banks and many local businesses
The people fear the time this is going to take to build approximately 2 years.
No one wants to see the bus route altered to make the buses go up narrow streets where there are many pedestrians
COSTS
The council said the cost would be 12 million in just a few short weeks has increased to 15 million and rising.
I have researched other flood defense companies with designs that would keep our river views and important safe car parks at a much lower cost and build times.
Have the council considered or spoken with any other flood defense companies as only one option on the table for councilors to consider why is this.
The CEO of another flood defense company has decided to come to a public meeting in Dumfries to demonstrate their designs and products and show the people
how they could build flood defenses at considerably less costs and build time, and save our car parks and river views.
The council are having to buy a private car park with money from the public purse to try and find room for 230 cars that will be displaced if this scheme goes ahead a car park that is almost full most days already.