FURTHER FLOOD PROTECTION for communities living around Newmill is to be put in place with the second phase of their flood scheme beginning at the start of May.
At their budget meeting in March, Moray Councillors agreed to the construction of the Newmill Flood Protection Scheme Phase 2 – now it has been confirmed that work on that will begin on Monday.
The news comes four years after the first phase of the scheme was completed – now the latest stage is expected to see construction end later this year.
The £1.85million scheme will consist of a network of ditches and culverts in the fields north of the village, a cascade at the west end of the village and flood walls and a replacement bridge at Low Road. Main contractor for the scheme, the first phase – Balfour Beatty.
Local SNP councillor and leader of his party at the Moray Council, Gary Coull, welcomed the news last night, saying: “This is wonderful news that Phase 2 of the Newmill Flood Scheme is about to start.
“It has taken a long time to get to this stage however the Keith councillors committed to making sure we got the second phase done and I am delighted that, by the end of this year, we will see it completed.
“A huge amount of work has been done by Council officers, the community and those who work the land in the area to get us to this stage. This will now mean that the area to the west of Hill Street will now be protected as well as the east of the village.
“The flood events that happened in Newmill were devastating for all those affected so it is great that Phase 2 is now happening to ensure that those folk can sleep a bit easier at night when there is a big downpour.”