Dumfries Whitesands flood protection costs rise to £25m

Dumfries and Galloway Council has already approved £4.5m towards the scheme

A major flood protection scheme in Dumfries is set to make a step forward but has seen its cost estimate rise significantly to £25m.

The Whitesands project would see the creation of a raised walkway along the waterfront area.

The scheme has been revised a number of times to address public concerns about the river view and loss of car parking.

Last year an estimate of project costs put the overall bill at between £15m and £17.8m.

The Scottish government would provide 80% of the funding for the scheme with the remainder coming from Dumfries and Galloway Council.

It has already approved nearly £4.5m towards the project which means it has a maximum of about £500,000 to find.

The council wants to increase use of the area as well as improve flood defences

A report to the local authority will ask it to agree that the project be officially published and adopted as a flood protections scheme.

It cites a range of reasons for the increased costs which include:

• a rise in overall construction costs despite some savings being found

• preliminary works requiring longer than anticipated

• a rise in building cost estimate indexes

• the inclusion of design and supervision fees

• additional site investigation costs, building warrant fees, legal costs and pre-construction ecology costs are now included

• a "risk pot" of £4m which could reduce over time

The council has spent nearly a year refining the scheme which it said had produced a range of "positive developments".

Those actions include:

• a reduction in the height of the defences

• talks with Historic Environment Scotland over the impact of the scheme on the Devorgilla Bridge

• additional car parking space creation

• consultation with property owners who require defences

• a 3D computer-generated model of the scheme which has helped to show how the scheme would look

Councillor Colin Smyth said: "I am pleased that we are now at the stage to seek committee agreement to commence the formal process of publishing the Whitesands project as a flood protection scheme.

"It is unacceptable that the largest town in our region continues to flood.

"That is why all councillors agreed for a flood protection and regeneration scheme to be progressed for the Whitesands, demonstrating the need for change and putting an end to the regular flooding that has plagued our regional capital for too long."

He added that it was more than a flood protection scheme and could create a "high quality public open space" to encourage the use of the Whitesands.