It has been estimated the number of properties at risk of flooding in Perth and Kinross could rise from 8700 to 12,000 by 2080.
Councillors have been told how climate change has led to an increasing number of flash floods.
A council committee was this week briefed on Local Flood Risk Management Plans due to be published next month which lay out actions to tackle the growing problem.
PKC’s interim flooding manager Peter Dickson updated the council’s newly-formed Climate Change and Sustainability Committee on Wednesday on progress.
He started by referring to the flooding in Perth in 1993, Comrie in 2012, Alyth in 2015 and the “ongoing devastating” impact with August 2020 being the “worst flood since 1993”.
He told the committee: “What we have noticed is an increase in the sort of rapid urban type of flooding – flash floods – that quite often happen in the middle of summer.
“It’s just indicative of climate change and the impact it’s having on the increased prevalence and frequency of flooding. And we’ve seen it again just a couple of months ago in Perth and Bridge of Earn.”
His presentation showed that as of 2018 SEPA’s National Flood Risk Assessment estimated roughly 8700 properties are currently at risk of flooding in Perth and Kinross. That equates to one in 12 properties and one in seven businesses.
He added: “By 2080 they’ve estimated about 12,000 properties could be at risk due to climate change. So it’s becoming quite a big problem and it’s only going to get worse.
“But the good news is there are things we can do about this.”
He referenced the six flood schemes in Perth, Comrie, Almondbank, Bridge of Earn, Milnathort and Weem.
He added: “Although certain public bodies are expected to take a proactive role in managing and – where achievable – lowering overall flood risk the ultimate responsibility for avoiding managing a flood risk still lies with land and property owners.”
Perth and Kinross has 17 of the 235 Potentially Vulnerable Areas in Scotland. Within those 17 PVAs there are 22 Objective Target Areas – or hotspots – where the majority of the focus will be.
Councillors were told PKC was working with partners across local authority boundaries to tackle flood risk with a “catchment management approach”.
Flood maps are produced which inform the flood management plans. Local Flood Risk Management Plans are due to be published next month and then the actions implemented over the next six years.
PKC received 35 responses to a public consultation. The common responses given highlighted the frequency of flooding particularly in Perth and some mentioned flooding in areas outside what has been identified as a Potentially Vulnerable Area.
Mr Dickson said: “I think some people were a bit concerned nothing was going to be done in their areas but that’s definitely not the case.”
There were concerns about timescales with “everyone looking for things to be done now” and a perception developments had increased flood risk.
PKC believes it has considered and addressed concerns in its plan. It has general actions which apply across the whole area.
These are: “awareness raising, the provision of data to support climate resilience, links with emergency planning, flood forecasting and warning, developing guidance, flood mapping, land use planning, maintenance (of drainage networks, and watercourse clearance and repair works) and self-help (including individual property flood measures)”.
The specific actions within hotspots – or Objective Target Areas – are: “flood protection schemes or works, flood studies, surface water management plans, maintain flood protection scheme, community engagement, community resilience groups, maintain flood warning, adaptation planning and sewer flood risk assessment”.
The £28 million Comrie flood scheme is number seven of a list of 42 priority flood schemes in Scotland drawn up in 2016.
The £2m Milnathort flood scheme is 19th, the £4m Kinross scheme is 28th and the £0.8m Scone scheme 34th.
The schemes are 80 per cent funded by the Scottish Government and 20 per cent by Perth and Kinross Council.
The Scottish Government/COSLA is reviewing capital funding due to costs having increased. Funding is in place for the schemes in Comrie, Milnathort and south Kinross.
The Scone scheme will progress at a later stage due to current insufficient funding from the Scottish Government.
A £0.4m surface water measure in Bridgend, Perth will be added into the second cycle of schemes along with flood schemes in Aberfeldy, Pitlochry and Blackford. There is no funding in place for the second cycle of schemes.
There are 10 flood studies being carried out across parts of Perth and Kinross including Dunkeld, Perth, Craigie Burn, Scone, Bridge of Earn, Luncarty, Blair Atholl and Methven. There are also seven surface water management plans being conducted across Milnathort, Perth, Blairgowrie, Rattray, Scone, Comrie, Kinross and Aberfeldy.
The Climate Change and Sustainability Committee will be asked to approve the final reports and local plans in December 2022.
An interim report on progress will be brought back to committee some time between June 2024 and June 2025.
