Published: Thursday, 18th February, 2010 6:55am

Floody hell: £18.9m scheme brings misery to residents

by Ally McRoberts

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Mike Herd surveys his reduced garden.

AN MSP has demanded action for residents who have been "severely affected" by the £18.9 million flood prevention scheme in Dunfermline.

Jim Tolson, who represents Dunfermline West, demanded answers from Fife Council after hearing fed-up owners can't even sell their homes to escape the problems.

Noise, loss of garden space, an asbestos scare and a completion date that never arrives have pushed residents affected by the controversial scheme, the cost of which has risen by more than 400 per cent, to the brink.

Mike Herd (40), of Ladysmill Court, said, "They're basically building a wall and widening the embankment on the other side but the length of time it's taking is absolutely ridiculous.

"It keeps getting pushed further back. The last date they gave for completion was June 2009 but no-one has even been there for the last two months.

"We had been told the work would take six months and they'd need only one-to-two metres of our garden.

"But three quarters of our back garden has been fenced off for over two-and-a-half years now and we have eight feet high wooden boards outside our back door."

He continued, "The boards were supposed to be up for two weeks, that was in February 2008, and they're still there.

"The work is classed under the Flood Prevention (Scotland) Act which means they can do what they want, for as long as they want, and no-one can do anything about it."

Owners who want to sell are struggling to attract buyers and Mr Herd said, "We were having some financial difficulty so we were thinking about down-sizing, getting a smaller house until we were back on our feet.

"Fife Council got a surveyor to look at compensation for loss of value and they've said the flood wall will increase the house's value!

"Most people looking at a house in this area would hear 'flood wall', assume it's a flood risk area and run a mile but the burn hasn't flooded in 40 years.

"How the council can say it's added value is beyond me and every estate agent I've spoken to."

The scheme was priced initially at £3.7 million in October 2003 and was due to start in April 2005 but was delayed until May 2007.

However, as the scale of the work - and the difficulties - grew so did the price tag, to £18.9 million last September.

Theresa Murie (50), also of Ladysmill Court, said she wasn't even told, when she bought the house in September 2007, that work was due to take place.

"No-one told me anything about it, if they had we wouldn't have bought the house," she said.

She said numerous completion dates came and went and added, "We were also told in November there was going to be an advance payment of compensation, it was 'imminent', and we're still waiting for that too.

"I've phoned Fife Council as many times and never even had the courtesy of a call back.

"It's left such a bad taste in the mouth that we want to sell but we can't.

"We'd have been happy to stay long term, it's a great location, but that's two years we've not had the use of our garden."

Residents were also unhappy that asbestos was found at the back of their homes last summer and claimed no-one was told.

Mrs Murie said, "A lot of the neighbours nearly had a heart attack as they got up and saw all these people in white suits and masks.

"They uncovered asbestos but didn't tell anyone about it, which was disgraceful."

Mr Tolson said a number of "very upset" residents had contacted him and he stated, "The work is way behind schedule; the residents have been living with this ongoing work severely affecting their lives.

"It is very difficult, if not impossible, to sell properties with the reinstatement incomplete and this situation is now causing major problems for the residents.

"A recommendation has been made by the district valuer that compensation should be offered to the residents for the extending period of inconvenience they have suffered.

"An advance payment of compensation was agreed by the council but this has not yet happened. This is simply not good enough.

"Fife Council have to go that extra mile for the Ladysmill Court residents severely affected by the flood prevention works delays."

Councillor Tony Martin, chair of the environment, enterprise and transportation committee, said the works had "unfortunately been delayed due to a number of unforeseen circumstances".

He said this included discovering asbestos in gardens and that "as soon as it was discovered, residents were notified and it was removed".

"There were also difficulties incorporating known and unknown utility services into the works," Councillor Martin explained.

He said the target of returning the gardens to the residents last summer was not met, with reinstatement and planting having to wait "for more favourable weather this coming spring".

"The council acknowledges the inconvenience and difficulties in which residents have been placed," he added.

"Our onsite engineer has been in regular contact with the residents to keep them up to date with the situation.

"Once the scheme has been completed, it will reduce the risk of flooding to properties at Ladysmill Court and will therefore ensure they remain viable financial investments.

"Without protection, insurance, mortgagability and therefore saleability would not be sustained."

Fife Council added that "compensation is not awarded for inconvenience caused by construction of the works but rather the impact the scheme has in terms of land ownership and enjoyment of that land".

The statement said the council was "prepared to make interim payments" but added that the "release of public money must follow legal processes and this can take time".