Scottish Borders has published a new local flood risk management plan for the region, covering the period up to 2028.

Tweed, Solway and Forth Estuary local flood risk management plans (LFRMP) show how flooding will be managed in each area and include potential flood protection projects which could be progressed where funding is made available.

The three plans are part of 14 covering the whole of Scotland which have been produced by local authorities in line with Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Flood Risk Management Plans.

Together the plans provide a framework for co-ordinating actions across rivers and catchments to deal with all sources of flooding and are taken into account by Scottish Ministers when funding is allocated.

This approach helps target investment to areas where there is the greatest risk of flooding and where communities can receive the greatest benefit.


As the lead authority for Tweed LFRMP, which covers the majority of the Borders, we have produced a delivery plan which sets out how flood risk will be managed, co-ordinated, funded and delivered over the next five years.

The Tweed plan includes the delivery of the Hawick Flood Protection Scheme to completion and identifies the potential for schemes in Peebles, covering the Tweed and the Eddleston Water, and the Slitrig in Hawick. Flood studies for Bonchester Bridge and Jedburgh are also included.

We have also contributed to the Solway LFRMP, which covers Newcastleton, and the Forth Estuary LFRMP, which includes the Berwickshire coast. A potential flood scheme for the Liddel Water in Newcastleton is included in the Solway plan.

Councillor Jenny Linehan, SBC's Executive Member for Environment and Transport, said: "The development of these plans, including the identification of potential flood protection schemes, is critical to accessing national funding to help protect our communities most at risk of flooding.

"The schemes already delivered in Selkirk, on the Skiprunning Burn in Jedburgh and at Netherdale in Galashiels have shown the value of investment into flood protection. Despite not yet being complete, the Hawick scheme has on various occasions prevented or minimised flooding in the community too.

"Other communities remain at risk though and we are committed to working with our partners to find solutions in those locations."