Councillors seek compromise on Whitesands flooding plan

Senior councillors in Dumfries have pledged to find a compromise solution to the Whitesands flooding problem.

More than 5,500 people signed a petition against plans to build a five-metre embankment along the waterfront.

However, the council has admitted that there will never be a consensus on any flood protection proposal.

A report to a meeting of Dumfries and Galloway Council's environment committee next week will attempt to find a way forward.

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Chairman Colin Smyth said: "What we are now able to do is focus on what I think is the biggest issue as far as the public is concerned. In the draft proposal, the height of the embankment and the walls were simply too high and the public did not support that.

"What we now need to do is make sure that we find a solution that deals with the flooding, regenerates the Whitesands, solves the car parking issues, but also reduces the height of any proposed flood protection scheme."

Water from the River Nith regularly spills over into the Whitesands, flooding a major town centre car park and nearby business premises.

Campaigners against the £15m proposal to build an embankment claimed it would have a detrimental effect on the town's main beauty spots.

They also raised concerns that the move would lead to the loss of about 200 waterfront car parking spaces.

David Slater, a local businessman who has been one of the project's most vocal objectors, said: "However many other consultations they do now, public opinion will not change at this stage.

"It will be interesting to see how they can agree with the public to reduce the height of the bunds. There has to be better ideas because we can't put that in our town."

Earlier this year MSPs called for the row over the flood protection plans to be brought to a "positive conclusion".