Council confirms trees are for the chop in Grangemouth when flood barriers are put in place

Public exhibitions on plans for the forthcoming Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme held in Bowhouse Community Centre at the end of May prompted a number of householders to get in touch with The Falkirk Herald due to concerns the trees currently lining the Grange Burn will all be for the chop if the proposed new flood barrier is put in place. One resident said: “I think we’ve lost enough green spaces in Grangemouth, without all these trees going too. They say they will replant some more, but how long will it take for them to grow?”

The multi-million pound flood protection scheme has been identified as the highest priority initiative in the national flood risk management (FRM) strategy published by the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) in December 2015.

There are a large number of residential and non residential property – including significant national infrastructure – in the town at risk of flooding from the River Carron, Grange Burn, River Avon and the Forth Estuary.

The proposed scheme will benefit over 3000 properties with estimated flood damages avoided in the region of £6 billion.

A Falkirk Council spokesperson said: “The scheme is at the very early stages of planning and consultation, but it will include flood defence walls, grass embankments and temporary flood barriers. Along the banks of the Grange Burn in Grangemouth defences are likely to be around one metre high.

“There will also be flood defences on the Rivers Carron and Avon and construction of these flood defences are not likely to take place until at least 2024.

“Unfortunately as part of a scheme to protect these communities, it is likely trees will need to be felled at some stage to make way for flood defences. A full replacement tree planting scheme will be included as part of the works to construct any defences.”