Green light for £3m plan to stabilise harbour cliff

ABERDEENSHIRE councillors yesterday voted to press ahead with £3 million plans to stabilise the cliffs overlooking Stonehaven to prevent the threat of further landslides devastating the community.

In February last year, scores of residents were forced to flee their homes in the harbour area following two significant landslips on the Bervie Braes, the steep cliff over the coastal town.

Last April finance secretary John Swinney announced a plan to stabilise the slopes by driving soil nails – huge metal rods – into the cliffs in a scheme which would be funded by both the Scottish Government and Aberdeenshire Council.

The scheme, however, was put on hold while families living near the cliff face were urged to sign liability waivers to allow the work to begin because of potential legal problems over ownership of the cliffs.

But members of the council’s policy and resources committee agreed the scheme should proceed without the need for waivers and to invite tenders for the project. Stephen Archer , director of infrastructure services, told the committee only about 50 per cent of the waivers had been returned.