THE team behind a multi-million-pound flood protection scheme in Musselburgh will look to learn lessons from the devastation caused in Brechin after its own system was overwhelmed.

East Lothian Council has insisted that the £16.7 million scheme in the Angus town did not "fail" when Storm Babet hit but was "overtopped" by the high waters.

And they said they would be looking to learn from what happened as they moved forward with their own planned project.

The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme (MFPS) has sparked controversy in the town after costs soared from the original £8.9m in 2016 to £43.5 million estimated last year.

Opponents of the scheme, which includes the introduction of walls, want it paused, claiming that not enough work has been carried out to find "natural solutions".

They claim that less than a 10th of the outline design for the scheme, which will see 80 per cent of its funding come from Scottish Government and the remaining 20 per cent from East Lothian Council, uses natural options.

READ MORE: Opposition to flood protection plan gathers momentum

The Musselburgh project aims to protect the town from flooding from the coast and the River Esk, which runs through its centre.

A council spokesperson said that it would look at what happened in Brechin as it moved forward.

They said: “The Brechin Flood Protection Scheme did not ‘fail’. It was ‘overtopped’, as a flood event occurred that was of greater magnitude compared with the standard of protection of that scheme.

“That Brechin scheme was designed and delivered before the current guidance on climate change published in December 2018.

“The Musselburgh scheme is considering the new/current guidance – which recommends a greater allowance to account for future climate change.

“That said, East Lothian Council and thereby the MFPS will look to learn any lessons available from the recent flooding and the Brechin FPS.

"We look forward to obtaining a full understanding of what happened in Angus/the north east and specifically the impact of the storm in Brechin.”