Caithness ports face massive storm damage bill
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THE bill to repair Highland Council-owned harbours in Caithness battered by last month’s storms is being put at £330,000.
But the total damage wreaked to ports in the east of the county which bore the brunt of the freak weather, is unknown.
Wick Harbour Authority has still to complete its investigations, though its final estimate is expected to dwarf that figure.
A new report by council officials reckons the tab to repair structural damage and flooding problems across the Highlands during Friday, December 14, and Saturday, December 15, will be more than £2.5 million.
Damage was sustained to both council and private harbours on the north and eastern coasts of the Highlands from Scrabster to Nairn.
Ten harbours in Caithness were badly damaged with Dunbeath the biggest casualty of the eight council-owned facilities. Repairs to displaced breakwaters, steps, masonry, the harbour wall and parapet have been quoted at £100,000.
Latheron Harbour was also severely hit, with emergency works to replace rock armour, repair erosion to harbour wall and damage to the deck of its river pier, estimated at £65,000.
Similar works are required at Ackergill, Freswick, Keiss, John O’Groats and Staxigoe as well as streets close to the harbour in Wick.
Landward Caithness councillor Willie Mackay, whose ward is home to eight of the 10 harbours affected, said harbour users are worried about the future of the ports.
He said the initial estimate is only the tip of the iceberg and expects the bill to grow once further investigations are carried out.
“Once we get below the water level and find out how much damage has been caused, the figure will significantly increase,” Mr Mackay said. “I have reports from harbour users from across Caithness who fear for the structures underneath the water, pending diver and underwater engineer investigations.”
Highland Council harbour manager Tony Usher and Mr Mackay plan to tour the county later this week to update the extent of the damage at each port.
The reports do not take into account private harbours in Lybster and Wick.
Concerned users at Lybster are discussing avenues for grant funding to repair damage and have requested advice from the council.
In the immediate aftermath to the storm, Wick Harbour Authority expected its repair bill would run into hundreds of thousands of pounds.
It was one of the worst-hit ports in the Highlands, with walls of the north river pier having collapsed and damage also caused to the harbour wall and vessels and equipment based at the quay.
Harbour authority chairman Willie Watt has said investigations are ongoing and that the authority is unable to give an accurate quote.
Caithness Sutherland and Ross MSP Rob Gibson has held talks with Wick harbourmaster Malcolm Bremner and believes it is time to review sea defences across the country.
“I made early contact with Wick Harbour after the storm hit as it is a major economic driver on the east coast of Caithness,” he said.
“I have sought a review meeting with environment minister Paul Wheelhouse who has to assess claims from North Berwick to Shetland.
“Now is the time to build real resilience and repair centuries-old harbours and coastal defences.”
Out of the 24 areas that have been quoted in the council report, the harbour at Balintore faces the most expensive repairs with costs quoted at £750,000. Portmahomack Harbour faces a £350,000 bill.
The Scottish Government has announced that the council will be allowed to apply for emergency funding through the Bellwin Scheme which aids with costs in the wake of large-scale incidents.
The council’s transport, environmental and community services committee will discuss the results of the report in Inverness tomorrow.
