As part of the scheme, contractors will install new pipelines to separate surface water drainage from domestic sewers, and will create a new ‘storage dam’ near Snipefield to slow the flow of water during a storm. This will connect to a larger surface water culvert in Dalaruan Street. They will also install an underground controlled storage area in Burnside Square.

As well as the overall improvements to Campbeltown’s flood resilience, a number of roads will also benefit from flood protection and road surface reconstruction as a result. These include: Witchburn Road, Tomaig Road, Meadowburn Place, Smith Drive, Bengullion Road, Burnside Square, Burnside Street, Glebe Street, Dell Road, Argyll Street, Castlehill and Lorne Street.

Some homes and businesses will also benefit from Property Flood Resilience (PFR) to improve the standard of protection. PFR includes things such as removable flood protection barriers on doors; automatically closing airbricks; and small pump systems.

Councillor Andrew Kain, the council’s policy lead for roads and transport, said: “Campbeltown has been susceptible to flooding for many, many years due to an out of date, undersized sewer system which is regularly overwhelmed, and a sewer network consisting of combined sewers, with no separation of foul and surface water drainage

“The FPS is a huge investment that will result in a significant number of long-term benefits for the town. These flood management measures will not only help to alleviate stress and anxiety for residents and businesses in the areas prone to flooding, they will reduce the risk of flooding near the town’s police and fire stations too.

“Campbeltown is also home to a vast number of listed buildings - buildings that maintain the cultural heritage of the area – so by carrying out these improvements, we are helping to protect the history of the town for future generations.

“Community engagement exercises have been carried out over several months now, so we know this is what people want - to be able to live without fear of their property flooding. Site work will begin in September and is expected take around two years to complete.

“We will be creating a dedicated webpage to keep people up to speed on the project. This will include an option to sign up to a mailing list for regular updates.”

The scheme is 80% funded by the Scottish Government and 20% funded by Argyll and Bute Council.