Musselburgh flood scheme walls will be a ‘giant canvas’ for graffiti, objectors warn

Musselburgh flood walls face public inquiry as estimated costs balloon to £103m

Objectors to a £103 million flood scheme say its walls will provide a giant canvas for graffiti artists who will think ‘all their Christmases have come at once’.

The Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme is currently awaiting a public inquiry after East Lothian Council was unable to resolve around 500 objections to the plans.

The controversial scheme includes plans to build concrete walls along the banks of the River Esk, which flows through the town centre, and along part of the coastline.

Protesters believe the project is flawed and that the council needs to look for other ways to protect the thousands of homes and businesses that would be at risk in the event of a flood.

They have pointed out that the walls would not only spoil the look of the historic town, but are now warning they will become a target for vandals.

One objector told the Scottish Government Reporter, who is leading the inquiry for Scottish Ministers, that the walls will be treated like a giant blank canvas by vandals.

He said: “When you see the extreme measures that graffiti artists go to on railway bridges, motorway flyovers, etc., this will be like all their Christmases coming at once. In no time at all, the walls will look horrendous.”

Dozens of objectors have signed up to take part in the public inquiry, which is due to get under way later this year.

Questions are already being asked about the council’s decision to include a £50 million project to restore the sea walls—which are currently owned by ScottishPower—in the notified flood protection scheme, which had previously been reported as having a cost of £53 million.

Adding to those concerns is the fact that, earlier this year, the Scottish Government placed a cap on the total cost of flood schemes across the country. This means the Musselburgh project cannot cost more than £35.6 million—well below its estimated cost, which the council only pays 20 per cent towards.

The scheme was initially estimated to cost under £9 million when it was first put forward a decade ago.

Despite the cap on the total cost being well below the current estimate, East Lothian councillors have already agreed to a further £6 million spend on getting ‘shovel ready’ to start the scheme if approved by the inquiry.