Take a few moments to respond to the Mussleburgh Flood Protection Scheme using the East Lothian Greens' template and let East Lothian Council know how the project should be improved for people and nature.
East Lothian Greens recognise the need for a flood protection scheme for Musselburgh. The magnitude of the climate crisis we face is already causing increased flooding in Scotland and around the world. Current evidence suggests that, for areas of high risk from large flooding events, Natural Flood Management (NFM) is best used in combination with built defences rather than as a replacement for them. We are encouraged by East Lothian Council’s commitment to a multi-agency approach to implementing NFM in the River Esk Catchment.
East Lothian Greens also believe that we must urgently adapt to climate change, and that this includes planning for significant sea level rise, resultant from our collective (and ongoing) global failure to curb our carbon emissions.
However, there are a number of issues with the current Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme (“the Scheme”) which we want to see addressed before the Scheme proceeds any further. Broadly our concerns are:
- The erosion risk on the coast between the Esk and Brunstane Burn, which has not been thoroughly accounted for by the current designs;
- Biodiversity: loss of ancient woodland and the need for biodiversity enhancements to be more ambitious both in Musselburgh and throughout the catchment;
- Lack of certainty over the mitigations proposed for the project’s greenhouse gas emissions.
The objection process, which is open until April 24th, is the formal route for public consultation under the Flood Risk Management (Scotland) Act. The best way to maximise the impact of Green voices is to submit reasoned and precise objections to specific aspects of the Scheme – these objections will then have to be considered (and hopefully acted on) before it proceeds. We believe we have created a template below that achieves this – please fill it out (and edit it if you wish), if you agree with these core points.
Our chances of securing changes to the Scheme will be stronger if lots of people submit this objection: please take a few minutes to help us today! The objection period closes at the end of the day on Wednesday 24th April.
Note, for a relevant objection you MUST begin by editing the letter and stating your full name, address, and whether you have an ‘interest’ in the land affected by the scheme, including residing or owning property in the area designated as ‘at risk’ by the flood maps. More details of how to declare this interest are on p3 of the Flood Order Notice.