The 12 techniques planned for preventing flooding in Musselburgh

The initial vision of an outline design for Musselburgh Flood Protection was revealed during a two-day exhibition this week.

More than 330 people attended the event – which is the latest step in a lengthy process – on the first day.

The newly revealed design brings together four separate projects.

Conor Price, senior project manager, said: “The project team have worked very hard over the last few years to consult the people of Musselburgh and thereafter to find a way to achieve the objectives of this project in a way that enhances the unique character of the town.

“The costs have increased since we began the design, but hopefully these designs demonstrate that this additional money has been brought in to deliver the objectives that the people of Musselburgh have requested: flood defences that blend into the historical build landscape; river restoration; natural solutions; active travel pathways; better footbridges; protection for Fisherrow Harbour, etc.”

The four projects in the outline design are: Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme; major repair works required to the existing ash lagoons seawall; significant parts of two of the routes of Musselburgh Active Toun, which will deliver new active travel infrastructure; and a suite of river restoration interventions, through a new multiple-benefits project authorised by East Lothian Council last August known as Musselburgh River Esk Restoration.

The public exhibition at Eskmills Venue gave the chance to view the designs, which were presented through 24 exhibition boards, 20 drawing plans providing an overview of the environmental/landscape changes, and a 3D video that combined drone footage and animation to place proposed designs within the existing town settings.

Councillors Cher Cassini, John McMillan and Norman Hampshire, leader of East Lothian Council, were among those at the consultation event

The initial vision of the outline design will now be revised and reworked, while feedback received will be considered. A full environmental impact assessment (EIA) will also be undertaken.

A consultation programme will be published in August.

It is intended that the outline design will be presented to a full council meeting next January, for councillors to consider the design and confirm next steps.

If approved, the flood protection scheme will then proceed to its formal approvals processes.

Councillor Norman Hampshire, leader of the council, said: “The council has been working hard to advance these projects and this outline design now shows us that we can achieve these outcomes in a way that will adapt and renew the river corridor and coastal foreshore for future generations.”

The scheme aims to provide formal flood protection to about 3,000 properties in the town at risk from a major flood event.

Visualisations have been created showing how the River Esk and the surrounding areas in Musselburgh could look

It will use many techniques to achieve a major reduction in flood risk and stop flood waters spilling onto the natural flood plains on which Musselburgh was built.

The notable techniques are:

1. Sustainable flood risk management through the modification of two existing reservoirs in the South Esk catchments;
2. Sustainable flood risk management through replacement of four bridges with new structures that will not impede the onwards flow of water and flood debris;
3. Catchment flood risk management through the provision of a new large debris catcher located upstream of the town;
4. River restoration works along the River Esk corridor in the town;
5. A strategy for future natural flood management in the upstream River Esk catchment;
6. Maximum deliverable nature-based solutions at all locations interventions are undertaken;
7. A network of new drainage and pumping stations within the town;
8. Engineering works on the Pinkie Burn to achieve management of flood waters;
9. Modifications to the historic Musselburgh Mill Lade to achieve flow control;
10. New physical defences along the River Esk corridor;
11. New physical defences along the coastal foreshore; and
12. Sustainable flood risk management through the modification of the historic Fisherrow Harbour to allow it become incorporated into the coastal defences.

However, the scheme will not protect Musselburgh against the ‘credible worst-case’ flood event.

Through the outline design consultation process, it was determined that defences required to achieve this level of protection on the Esk were not deliverable and would have had an unacceptable impact on the river environment and historical town landscape.

Visualisations have been created showing how the River Esk and the surrounding areas in Musselburgh could look

The ScottishPower ash lagoons seawall was constructed in the 1960s to help disposal of ash waste from Cockenzie Power Station.

The seawall is now beyond its design life and a number of major repair works are to be advanced.

The Musselburgh River Esk Restoration is a new project which aspires to achieve a living, healthy, natural river environment.

Musselburgh Active Toun is a separate major project to deliver a new active travel network to the town through six new routes and significant investment in placemaking along those routes.

Within the scheme, the following notable outcomes will be achieved:

• A new 5m wide shared-space footpath from the train station to the mouth of the Esk (mostly) travelling down Eskside East;
• A new 5m wide shared-space footpath along the coast from Fisherrow Harbour to Prestonpans;
• Enhancement of the four footbridges being replaced from like-for-like to enhanced 5m wide shared-space active travel compatible footbridges, fully connected to the new pathway network;
• The relocation of two of the footbridges to new locations to achieve an overall improvement of active travel network connectivity;
• Major placemaking around Fisherrow Harbour to assist in the ongoing reinvention of the area;
• Major placemaking around the historic Roman Bridge to enhance its setting and reinvent its usage for future generations;
• Provision of blue-green natural infrastructure to manage the drainage requirements from the new network of pathways; and
• Maximum deliverable nature-based solutions at all locations interventions are undertaken.