The Stonehaven Flood Protection Scheme is designed to reduce risk in the lower catchment of the River Carron, which has badly flooded nearby homes and businesses in the past.

Aberdeenshire Council’s infrastructure services committee has been recommended to make a preliminary decision that the proposed scheme should go ahead with mitigation.

Recently, the proposed measures have been subject to public consultation, when eleven objections were received.

Officers involved in the project entered into negotiations with some objectors to try to address the issues they raised and if possible, modified the proposals to reach a suitable solution for all parties.

A number of the proposed modifications could result in the removal of several of the eleven outstanding objections. Councillors are being asked to approve progression of the scheme with the modifications and notify Scottish Ministers of their decision.

Design work has been progressing on the project since councillors gave the go-ahead in December 2013.

The council’s policy and resources committee previously gave approval for funding of the scheme at an estimated value of £14-16m.

It also agreed to continue to pursue all possible funding opportunities from the Scottish Government.