Grangemouth's 'essential' flood defence scheme could cost £650m

dailyrecord.co.uk:

Flood defences for Grangemouth and the surrounding areas could end up costing as much as £650 million, councillors have been told.

The massive project is by far the biggest and most complex flood protection scheme in Scotland, involving risk of flooding from three local rivers as well as the Forth estuary in an area that includes a major port and an oil refinery.With an initial budget of £200m, the most recent estimates now suggest that the project’s final cost are likely to be anywhere between £420m and £650m.Members of Falkirk Council’s executive heard that the estimate cannot be any more accurate as the outline design work is still to be done.However, agreement is still needed on how the work will be paid for.At the moment, the national agreement is that the Scottish Government will pay 80 per cent of the costs with local authorities contributing 20 per cent.But the scale of the Grangemouth project – which dwarfs the others – means even one-fifth of such a price would run into tens of millions and the council has asked that a new funding mechanism be found.The council insists that the impact of a significant flood event on any of the critical infrastructure sites – such as the port or the refinery – could be devastating for the national economy as well as local people.Falkirk Live brings you the latest headlines from Falkirk and beyond.But did you know all the ways you can stay informed with us?We share live news and exclusive scoops every day so make sure you're following us so we can keep you informed on all things Falkirk!Alistair Dawson, from Falkirk Council, said the benefits of the scheme are clear and he has no doubt the work is essential.He told councillors: “I think it’s essential that between Falkirk