McLaughlin & Harvey has secured a contract to deliver flood protection works in Stonehaven, Aberdeenshire.

The scheme is designed to protect homes and businesses which have previously been badly affected by flooding events around the River Carron.

The project includes the alteration of five bridges along the River Carron; removing, replacing and raising the Red Bridge and Green Bridge; removing, refurbishing and reinstating the White Bridge in a raised position; replacing the Bridgefield Bridge parapet with a reinforced glass type material; and raising and widening the Beach Bridge.

Flood walls will also be constructed between the Red Bridge and the river mouth, and the island downstream of the Green Bridge will be removed. Further installations include two higher capacity culverts on the Glaslaw Burn and a new culvert under the gardens of Cameron Street.

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The scheme is expected to take two years to complete.

Project Lead and Principal Engineer, Rachel Kennedy, said: "We now have a contractor, a project plan and the money we need to deliver it, so after many years of painstaking work we're almost ready to start work on the ground. We are well aware many people in the town will be delighted to see this progress – flooding is not a distant memory in Stonehaven and it's hard not to think of it every time it rains heavily."

Chair of Aberdeenshire Council's Infrastructure Services Committee, Peter Argyle, commented: "The council and its contractor are keen to keep the local community informed of progress and to work through any issues as they arise, delivering a flood protection scheme which offers the community security. With a project of this size and complexity clearly there may be some inconvenience in the local area while work is undertaken, but everyone will do their utmost to keep this to a minimum and I know a lot of planning has gone in to make sure things go as smoothly as possible. Clearly everyone is keen to see this important protection for the town in place at the earliest opportunity, but it has to be done right, within budget and ensuring we take account of the complex requirements across the scheme area."

Seamus Devlin, Director of Civil Engineering at McLaughlin & Harvey, added: "McLaughlin & Harvey is pleased to be part of the construction of this flood protection scheme, which will provide security to the community in this area. To be awarded this prestigious contract is a testament to the reputation we've built up for delivering high-quality flood schemes across Scotland."