Scottish Parliament water leaks cost £94k to plug

Published on Monday 16 February 2009 20:51

HOLYROOD managers are spending almost £100,000 trying to stop water leaking into the Scottish Parliament building, it emerged yesterday.

A total of 39,000 was originally put aside from the maintenance budget to solve the problem of the leaky roof in the 414 million building.

But that has already been overspent by 55,000, taking the total to 94,000 – on top of the general maintenance budget of 1 million.

The main problem is in the car park with its entrance on Holyrood Road. The iconic roof on the car park, which consists of rolling concrete sections topped with meadow grass, has proved difficult to keep dry.

Contractors have been hired to excavate the car park roof and to fit new drainage systems in an attempt to fix the problem.

But the recent wet and wintry weather has exposed other problems as well, with ceilings around the building springing leaks – including some close to the debating chamber.

The situation became so acute through December and January that some MSPs used buckets to catch water dripping into their offices.

A Scottish Parliament spokesman said: "It has been clear for some time that we have a problem with leaks in the upper basement and car park area."

"Over the course of this financial year contractors have carried out work to address the problem. This has included excavation work, work on the drainage system and work on the membrane material above the car park ceiling," he added.

"The budget reflects that this is on-going work."