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The first stage of the £22 million River Ness flood alleviation scheme in Inverness is due to begin on October 22. Mott MacDonald is providing the detailed design for The Highland Council on the project, following on from an earlier role as one of three flood defence framework providers to the Highland and Islands Councils in Scotland.

The scheme will protect 795 residential and 188 non-residential properties from the threat of tidal flooding through the installation of 4km of walls and embankments along both sides of the river bank. The upper part of the scheme will pass through the central business district of Inverness and with tourism being a major source of income for the city the aesthetics of the scheme are particularly significant.

In addition to the flood defence, Mott MacDonald will assist The Highland Council with simultaneous streetscaping works for the roads bordering the scheme to improve the whole river corridor. The design will include the realignment of major utilities on both sides of the river. Planning restrictions require a number of mature trees to be retained and additional trees to be planted.

Laurence Cload, Mott MacDonald’s project manager, said: “Mott MacDonald’s Inverness office has championed this scheme development for the past 20 years, which together with our vast expertise and experience of working in flood risk analysis was instrumental to this successful appointment.”

Mott MacDonald’s investigations and outline designs are due to be finished by the end of 2012, with the entire scheme due to be completed in 2015.

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