Tuesday September 30th 2025
Generated plans of Musselburgh flood protection
Written by Local Democracy Reporter, Marie Sharp
East Lothian councillors today voted to ask Scottish Ministers to make the final decision on a controversial £54 million flood scheme for Musselburgh as they were told the final cost was unknown.
A report on the Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme (MFPS) revealed nearly 500 objections remained outstanding against the proposals despite months of talks between officers and protesters.
Council officials had asked elected members to give preliminary approval to the scheme without any modifications after coming to the conclusion there would need to be too many to appease objectors and they still would not address all the issues raised.
The move would have meant Scottish Ministers would be notified and asked to decide whether to hold a public inquiry or send it back to the council to decide through a local hearing.
However council leader Norman Hampshire moved a motion asking elected members to agree to go a step further and ask Scottish Ministers to take over the final decision on the controversial scheme.
And after a meeting which went on for nearly six hours, he won the vote by 11 votes to 10 with Scottish Greens councillor Shona McIntosh abstaining.
Mr Hampshire’s motion, which was backed by all Labour administration councillors and seconded by Musselburgh ward Councillor Ruaridh Bennett called on the council to “ask the Scottish Ministers to consider this proposed Scheme which will involve a Public Local Inquiry being held, and thereafter the Scottish Ministers taking the final decision”.
In total 485 ‘valid objections’ were accepted by the council against the scheme and officers said they had only managed to persuade four protesters to withdraw their opposition.
The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme (MFPS) has sparked controversy in the town after costs soared from the original £8.9m in 2016 to a current estimate of £53.9million.
At today’s meeting those involved in the scheme told councillors they did not have a final cost for the scheme and would not be able to provide it until the design had been approved.
They also declined to comment on how many trees were likely to be lost as the defences are built – another contentious issue with local residents – saying they would not know until ‘construction begins.’
Opponents of the MFPS, which includes the introduction of high walls through the town centre, want it paused claiming not enough work has been carried out to find ‘natural solutions’ instead of walls.
The coastal town has seen a number of flood incidents in recent years related to the River Esk which runs through it.
In April 2000 and October 1990 there were moderate floods from the Esk affecting parts of the town. The last major flood event was in August 1948 when the River Esk overflowed causing significant flooding in the town and washing away a footbridge.
During the meeting veteran Musselburgh councillor Andrew Forrest told colleagues that the records for the 1948 flood noted they had to “remove fish from the cellars of the bank”.
He said: “If a flood like that happens now it will be disastrous. Our utilities are underground and the effect would be devastating.
“We have to have flood protection in Musselburgh and we have one chance at it. Having a public inquiry will mean people in the town will have their voices heard.”
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