Project update - June 2023
The £15million Campbeltown flood protection scheme is continuing to make good progress. At this stage we are expecting the project to be completed by around February 2024.
The scheme is split into four parts, and we’ve provided updates under different headings below.
Millknowe
In this area, the field that sits between Hillside Road and Snipefield Industrial Estate is being surrounded by a sheet piled wall and turned into a storage reservoir which, during weather events can safely flood and hold water,. The water will then be safely and slowly discharged through a new system.
The sheet piling works for the reservoir are now complete and a combined sewer diversion has been put in place.
Sheet piling is a technique that uses narrow sheets of material, usually steel, with interlocking edges to form a wall or barrier.
We are now working on the embankment/earthworks and more drainage.
We are expecting this part of the scheme to be completed around October 2023.
Burnside sustainable urban drainage system
This part of the project involves new pipelines being built under roads throughout the town to increase the capacity of the drainage system so that it can better cope with heavy rainfall.
Many of these new pipelines lead into a storage tank which has been built underneath Burnside Square. This will do the same thing as the Millknowe reservoir – safely storing water and allowing it to slowly discharge. Burnside Square was chosen for this because it is at a low point in the town and provides a clear open space to build the tank under.
The tank installation provided local residents and businesses with the opportunity to have their say on how they would like the Square used after the work was completed and, following a public consultation in November 2022, 57% of people said they would like the area to be a flexible events space and car park.
We issued a press release about this in April. Below is a recap on that announcement:
New features will include pavement café areas on both Harvey’s Lane and Cross Street as well as within the Square itself, additional spaces for disabled parking, an additional vehicle exit onto Union Street, available space in the Square maximised for community use, and electricity points to support events.
The council will publish the finalised plans soon but in the meantime, our contractors are laying new block paving in the Square, in keeping with the previous finish, so that it can re-open as a car parking area until such times as the public realm details are agreed.
The current plan is for the Square to re-open in early July, with some aspects of the public realm works to be completed at a later point – this is primarily down to lead in times for some items such as the electrical points.
We are now looking at the square reopening for public/pedestrian use before the end of June, but remaining closed to cars/traffic until later in July. This is to allow the new entrance and exits to be completed and for the appropriate signage to be in place, as well as allowing drainage works on Burnside Street to be completed.
To help us get a better understanding for the technical requirements for the electrical points, we would like to hear from anyone who has experience of hosting events in the Square. This will give us an insight into how you would like to use power points for events [what sort of things you might need power for] so that we can design something which meets the needs of local events as far as possible. We have a list of event organisers who we are going to be writing to shortly, but would be grateful to anyone on this mailing list who passes this message on or comes back to us. You can email your ideas about event power to roadsandinfrastructure@argyll-bute.gov.uk
In terms of the works in surrounding streets, the works in Argyll Street and at Castlehill and Ralston Road are complete; the drainage installation on Burnside Street is ongoing.
Drainage works are also required on Witchburn Road and because of the nature of the works and the narrowness of the road, it seems likely that a road closure will be required. We are working with the contractor to develop these plans, and have asked the contractors to carry the works out during the summer months, rather than during school times. Like previous road closures on the scheme, this is likely to be what is called a rolling closure, where sections of the road are closed at a time, rather than a whole stretch. The area affected will be from the junction of Big Kiln Street and Burnside Street to The Creamery Building on Witchburn Road.
Works are due to commence 3rd July 2023 and are expected to last around six weeks. Diversion routes will be in place around the Meadows for cars and along the Moss Road for HGVs, with specific arrangements in place to maintain local access.
More specific information will come round shortly about these works. You might see a notice which lasts until 3rd September. We do not expect the works to take that long but it is always good practice to have these closure notices in place for a little longer than expected just incase there are any issues. The road will be reopened as soon as possible once the necessary works are completed.
Meadows
New pipelines have been built under roads in and around the Meadows to provide more capacity in the system, as well as three safe storage ponds, two in Meadowpark and one in land off Tomaig Road.
These act in the same way as the Millknowe reservoir and the Burnside Square storage tank, holding water during weather events and then allowing it to safely drain away.
These works are all now substantially complete, with some finishing touches like manhole installations having progressed recently.
The roads nearby had been temporarily resurfaced. Now that all works under these roads are completed full resurfacing will go ahead soon, with works commencing on Meadowburn Place from 12th June.
Dalaruan
The final element of the scheme that is yet to start is the installation of new drainage under Dalaruan Street. This was originally planned to have gone ahead earlier in the project but the plans to install a new box culvert had to change as a result of the layout of existing services under the road. This is quite normal in large scale construction projects like this.
The designs are being revised to provide drainage pipelines rather than a culvert. These have enough capacity to allow the flood reservoir to discharge, as well as taking water from the nearby Balegreggan Burn.
These works are likely to be quite disruptive, although potentially less so than had the original culvert plans gone ahead.
At the moment we are expecting works to start here in the summer holidays, with a focus initially on the area nearest the primary school.
We will shortly be confirming dates for a public information event on this part of the scheme at the Dalintober Primary School. This is part of a wider package of measures we will have in place to keep people well informed of these works and we will to do everything possible to keep disruption to a minimum.
Project update - March 2023
Good progress continues to be made on the flood scheme works. Below is a short update under the different phases/elements of the project
The Meadows – new pipelines and safe water storage ponds
The drainage works in this area are now complete.
The roads around the Meadows were temporarily reinstated as the drainage works progressed. The full resurfacing of the whole width of these roads is expected to commence within the next four weeks. This includes Smith Drive, Witchburn Road, Tomaig Road and Meadowburn Place.
The fields themselves will then be reinstated. Preparations will be made for the soft landscaping works, which are likely to progress in the next planting season.
Burnside Square – creation of a storage tank under the square itself and new pipelines in adjoining roads
Excellent progress has been made in Burnside Square. The new flood attenuation tank has been installed and the area has been backfilled.
We are continuing to work on design options with our design consultants for the reinstatement of the square. This follows the public consultation which concluded in favour of a flexible space which could be used for events, and for parking when not in use for events.
These designs are being finalised and should be available to share very soon.
This part of the work remains on track to finish by summer.
The associated drainage works on Dell Road are now 50% complete. The contractor is working through short sections at a time, temporarily reinstating surfaces as they go to maximise available parking for local residents.
Dalaruan Street – a new culvert under the existing road
We had planned to start these works around now; however, following ground investigations to highlight services etc. there are still some technical design aspects to be completed.
This is a normal part of any major civil engineering project like this. Instead of progressing with construction works here we have reorganised the works plan to progress the Millknowe element, ensuring no time is lost in the overall project.
We will follow up with further information once the design aspects are worked through – this element of the project will have specific community engagement around it, including a pop-up information event.
Millknowe – creation of a safe water storage reservoir
This phase has started, with a number of trees felled near the Snipefield Industrial Estate.
Work to install the piling platform [a machine that is used to construct the reservoir walls] will begin on Monday, with a view to the actual construction starting in mid-April.
Project update - January 2023
Good progress continues to be made on the flood scheme works. Below is a short update under the different phases/elements of the project
The Meadows – new pipelines and safe water storage ponds
This element should be finished in June. We are currently waiting on the area drying out before going back to topsoil the ponds and reinstate the fields.
We should also shortly see work starting on resurfacing the roads around the works.
Dalaruan Street – a new culvert under the existing road
We will shortly be arranging a public pop-up information event where the contractor, the design team and the council will all be present to discuss the works in detail, the phasing plan and how we will minimise disruption to the local community. Look out for further information and dates in the next couple of weeks.
Millknowe – creation of a safe water storage reservoir
Site Investigation works will commence today with the main works due to start in the Spring. Given its location and the type of works this part of the project is likely to be the least disruptive.
Burnside Square – creation of a storage tank under the square itself and new pipelines in adjoining roads.
This part of the scheme kicked off in earnest just after the New Year.
To date the contractor has been excavating the square ahead of beginning work to install the tank, which will start today.
This will involve the use of something called a piling rig which is set to arrive on Friday evening.
We had hoped to save some of the old trees from the square for possible replanting elsewhere but unfortunately they were not able to be saved.
We are continuing to work on design options for the reinstatement of the square following the public consultation which concluded in favour of a flexible space which could be used for events, and for parking when not in use for events. We would expect to have these updated designs for sharing shortly.
Project update - November 2022
According to results of the recent consultation, 57% of those who responded would like Burnside Square to become a new, flexible public events space. With the consultation now closed, the Council’s design team will progress plans for a range of possible features in the Square, such as redesigned pedestrian areas, additional spaces for disabled parking, decorative lighting and hanging baskets.
Work is progressing well with the project and the following is now complete
The Meadows SuDS
• Smith Drive drainage installation complete and road temporarily resurfaced
• Tomaig Road Drainage Installation complete and road temporarily surfaced
• Pond 1B tree felling and vegetation clearance commenced
Burnside SuDS
• Trial Digs to locate services ongoing
Dalaruan Street
• Trail Digs to locate services ongoing
The following works are forecast from 2nd December to 21st December 2022
The Meadows SuDS
• Pond 1B excavation
• Drainage installation Meadowburn place and Witchburn Road
Burnside SuDS
• Trial digs to locate services ongoing
Dalaruan Street
• Trial digs to locate services ongoing
The site will be closed from 21st December 2022 to 5th January 2023 for the Christmas and New year break.
When the contractors return on 5th January works will be commencing within Burnside Square and the area will be closed to all parking from that date until the end of May 2023
Project update - October 2022
Map showing the different detention basins in the Meadows area referred to below
Works since previous update
Phase 1 – Meadows
- Detention basins 1A and 2 have been excavated
- Drainage works linked to these basins have been carried out
Phase 2a – Surface Water Management System
- Trial holes and manhole investigations took place in Big Kiln Street and Burnside Street
Works planned for the next fortnight
Phase 1 – Meadows
- Continue drainage installation works linked to detention basins 1A and 2 in Meadows
- Site clearance works for detention basin 1B
Phase 2a – Surface Water Management System
- Begin drainage works on Smith Drive and Tomaig Road
Burnside Square future options
As part of the Flood Protection Scheme new pipelines will be installed under roads throughout the town to increase the capacity of the drainage system so that it can cope better with heavy rainfall. Many of these new pipelines will lead into a storage tank which will be built underneath Burnside Square. This tank will safely store water and allow it to slowly discharge. Burnside Square has been chosen for this because it is at a low point in the town and provides a clear open space to build the tank under.
This provides an opportunity to look at how Burnside Square could be used after the flood scheme, and what works could be done to provide a lasting benefit to the community over and above the flood prevention works themselves. To help us develop future plans for Burnside Square we are asking people what their preference is for the space.
There is an online consultation on future options which is available here.
We would encourage anyone with an interest in the future use of the Square to look at the consultation and to give us your feedback. It’s really important that we have a clear idea of how people want the space to be used before we develop proposals.
Project update - September 2022
Phasing plan
The scheme will be done in four distinct parts, and at this early stage we are anticipating the order of works to be:
| Phase | Name/area | Anticipated start date | Anticipated duration |
|---|---|---|---|
| Phase 1 | Meadows | September 2022 | 6 months |
| Phase 2a | Surface water management works | September 2022 | 10 months |
| Phase 2b | Burnside Square | December 2022 [main works [car park closure] January 2023] | 6 months |
| Phase 3 | Dalaruan | February 2023 | 10 months |
| Phase 4 | Millknowe | June 2023 | 8 months |
Phase 1 – Meadows
New pipelines will be installed here to provide the sewer system with more capacity. Three safe storage ponds will be created, two in Meadowpark and one on land off Tomaig Road. These will hold flood water and then allow it to safely drain away.
Phase 2 – Surface water management works and Burnside Square
New pipelines will be installed under roads throughout the town to increase the capacity of the drainage system so that it can cope better with heavy rainfall.
Many of these new pipelines will lead into a storage tank which will be built underneath Burnside Square. This will safely store water and allow it to slowly discharge. Burnside Square has been chosen for this because it is at a low point in the town and provides a clear open space to build the tank under. Once this element of the scheme is finished people will see no difference – the tank will be hidden underground. This part of the work will be disruptive and will be carefully planned and communicated – we will be working with the contractor to keep disruption to a minimum and to keep people informed well in advance.
Phase 3 – Dalaruan
A new culvert will be built under Dalaruan Street. This will have enough capacity to allow the flood reservoir to be built at Millknowe {Phase 4] to discharge, as well as taking water from the nearby Balegreggan Burn. This will protect Dalaruan Street from future flooding. This part of the scheme will be disruptive as the culvert will be built under the middle of the road, so road closures will be necessary to allow the work to progress safely. This is something which will be carefully planned and communicated – we will be working with the contractor to keep disruption to a minimum and to keep people informed well in advance.
Phase 4 – Millknowe
The field that sits between Hillside Road and Snipefield Industrial Estate will be surrounded by a wall and turned into a storage reservoir which can safely flood during weather events and hold water. The water will then be safely and slowly discharged through a new system.
Phase 1 – official start on site
Work officially got underway on Phase 1 on Monday 12th September.
We will be installing new flood storage ponds within the Meadows grassed area and completing the construction and installation of new storm sewers at:.
- Witchburn Road
- Tomaig Road
- Meadowburn Place
- Smith Drive
- Meadow Park
Works within these areas will include:
- Digging trial pits that will give a clear idea of ground conditions and works required
- Installation of new storm pipework under existing roads. This will increase the capacity of the existing system which is regularly overwhelmed, and reduce flooding in the future
- Temporary reinstatement of the working areas as we go e.g. temporary new surfaces
- Full road resurfacing once all the new pipework is in place
To make sure these works can go ahead safely, we will be installing temporary traffic management on the above roads. As site works progress, further information will be provided to ensure people are fully informed about how the works might affect them specifically.
At this stage we do not expect there to be any full road closures around these works.
Works undertaken since the official start:
- Works compound is taking shape off Hillside Road, and a smaller site compound is being created off Bengullion Road for the Meadows phase of the works
- Tree and vegetation clearance in the Meadows area off Tomaig Road at the site of what will be known as Pond 1
- Trial holes dug around the site of Pond 2. These are to locate existing services.
Upcoming works:
- Continuing with trial pits to confirm location of existing services
- Commence construction of the flood attenuation ponds at the Meadows [Ponds 1 and 2]
- Investigatory works to commence on Burnside Street and within Burnside Square.
Project update – July 2022
The start-up meeting with the successful contractor Dawson WAM took place in mid-June 2022, followed by a joint site meeting in Campbeltown on Friday 8 July.
The project team had a walk round the town and discussed the phasing of works and the importance of community engagement throughout the project.
There will be a number of pop-up information sessions over the coming weeks in different areas across the town to allow local residents to meet the contractor and to find out more about the planned works.
The Council is also planning to consult local people on a range of options for the future use of Burnside Square after the storage tank is installed under the current square.
The works programme/phasing is currently being finalised and we would expect to be able to share this over the next couple of weeks.
The contractor will be shortly mobilising and setting up their project/site office which will be next to Millknowe Park.