Objectors to £103m Musselburgh flood scheme say walls will provide giant canvas for graffiti artists

Objectors to a £103m flood scheme say its walls will provide a giant canvas for graffiti artists who will think ‘all their Christmases have come at once’.

The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme is currently waiting a public inquiry after East Lothian Council was unable to resolve around 500 objections to the plans.

The controversial scheme includes plans to build concrete walls along the banks of the River Esk which flows through the town centre and along part of the coast line.

Protestors believe the project is flawed and needs to look for other ways to protect the thousands of homes and businesses which would be at risk in the event of a flood.

And they have pointed out the walls would not only spoil the look of the historic town but now they are warning they will be a target for vandals.

One objector has told the Scottish Government Reporter, who is leading the inquiry for Scottish Ministers, that the walls will be treated like a giant blank canvas by vandals.

He said: “When you see the extreme measures that graffiti artists go to on railway bridges, motorway flyovers etc, this will be like all their Christmases coming at once. In no time at all the walls will look horrendous.”

Dozens of objectors have signed up to take part in the public inquiry, which is due to get under way later this year. Questions are already being asked about the council’s decision to include a £50m project to restore the sea walls which are currently owned by ScottishPower in the notified flood protection scheme which had previously been reported as having a cost of £53m.

Adding to those concerns is the fact that earlier this year, the Scottish Government placed a cap on the total cost of flood schemes across the country, which means the Musselburgh project cannot cost more than £35.6m, well below its estimated cost, which the council only pays 20% towards.

The scheme was initially estimated to cost under £9m when it was first put forward a decade ago. Despite the cap on the total cost being well below the current estimate, East Lothian councillors have already agreed a further £6m spent on getting ‘shovel ready’ to start the scheme if approved by the inquiry.