150 homes damaged by Storm Babet flooding to be demolished

A total of 150 homes in an Angus town which were devastated by Storm Babet almost three years ago are to be demolished.

Hundreds of people who fled their homes when the South Esk breached flood defences in the River Street area of Brechin were unable to return for months and many properties remain empty.

Councillors have approved plans to demolish 150 houses and flats, plus five garages, as well as changes to the river's flood defences that could cost about £8.2m.

Residents said they had been living in limbo since the floods hit in October 2023.

Storm Babet brought very strong winds and heavy rain across much of Scotland and north-east England.

The Met Office recorded up eight inches (200mm) of rainfall in the wettest areas.

Angus was one of the worst affected places. In Brechin, 60 households had to be rescued and many more went to evacuation centres in Montrose and Forfar.

Betty Matheson, 78, was forced out of her privately-rented home and was unable to return for several months while the house was gutted, rewired and restored.

She said: "I think for all of us still living round here it's been like living in limbo.

"There are things I would like to do to the house, but should I bother?

"What is the point of doing something to the house and the house is going to be taken down? So there is this uncertainty all about it."

She said she would miss the area, but knew her family would help her settle in a new place if needed.

"I think it's a shame for Brechin itself," she told BBC Scotland.

But she added: "I think I've known for a long time that I will have to move, but I am pragmatic about it."

Angus Council held a special meeting to consider options for the future of damaged homes, and the flood defences.

Ahead of the meeting, councillor George Meechan said the local authority recognised how difficult the continuing uncertainty had been for residents.

"Unfortunately, there is no simple solution that will meet everyone's needs in this area, and councillors must carefully consider the impact on wider Angus communities also affected by climate change," he said.

Councillors have agreed to demolish a total of 150 homes, including 29 that are in private ownership.

Local Brechin councillor and deputy provost, Jill Scott, said the council knew that not everyone would be happy with the decision.

But she said it would "bring closure" for affected households.

"With today's decision, the residents and council officers now have clarity in the next steps and while there is a lot of work to do, and there remain some risks in progressing this option, we can move forward together," she said.

"I also want to stress that no-one is going to be made homeless by this decision. Our housing officers will support anyone into their next home, whether they are council tenants, private tenants or homeowners."

Another affected resident said she wondered why Angus Council had taken so long to act since the storm.

Stella McIntosh, 82, has lived in the home she owns on River Street for the past 45 years.

The water reached shoulder-height in her house, but she has learned to live with the loss of irreplaceable belongings damaged or washed away in the flood.

She said she believed her house could fall within the preferred option area for demolition.

While her home was renovated after Storm Babet, other properties have remained empty, leaving the area like a "ghost town".

"I just feel at my age I don't want to have to move again, but we're going to have absolutely no option," she added.

John Cavanagh, who lives behind River Street on Mitchell Drive, has concerns even though his home is not earmarked for demolition.

He had to be taken by boat from his house during the storm.

"This whole area was a pond - it was deep enough to take a motorboat fortunately," he said.

"We were extremely lucky. I've got no explanation for why we didn't get water in the house at all."

He has sympathy for those whose homes were damaged and is also worried that if there was a repeat of the floods the remaining houses could be affected.

"Will the flood defences work next time, should they be adjusted?" he asked.

"What's going to happen 50, 60, 100 years from now? We need to plan that.

"Leaving things as they are clearly didn't work during the floods. If anything, some people will tell us the climate has worsened and we can expect more of these floods."

Angus Council has proposed raising the height of the current flood wall.

It said the outline cost was about £8.2m.