Alness woman’s 10-year battle with Highland Council over flooding
AN Easter Ross family say they have been left in limbo for a decade over a flooding issue no one seems prepared to take responsibility for.
Becky Davidson moved into her Alness home in Darroch Brae in February 2014 with her husband and her son — but soon found there was an issue with flooding by the house.
Ms Davidson said: “We have to constantly wear wellies in the winter — it floods our driveway. We’ve had three different fence posts put in, because they keep rotting due to the flooding. All of the harling’s come off the wall… it’s unreal.
“It makes it very dangerous for my father-in-law who stays with us as he is disabled — it’s a nightmare. It’s dangerous for us too, it’s like an ice rink when it freezes.”
She said she first reported the issue to the Highland Council in 2015 and was given a reference number - but says the issue has never been resolved in all that time.
She said: “So we just carried on ringing them for an update, but received nothing. Eventually they gave me an email for the Roads Department in 2016, who repeatedly told me ‘someone will be out’ for around three years — nobody ever came out.”
At that point, she got then-local councillor, Pauline Munro, involved.
“All she did was forward the email on [to the council], and forward their emails on to me.
“In 2023, we were told it wasn’t the council’s land.
“So we got in contact with our solicitor who proved the land isn’t owned by us.”
After sharing this information with the council, she said the local authority then claimed that the land belonged to Scottish Water.
She continued: “Scottish Water came out and showed me on their laptops that it’s not Scottish Water’s, it’s the council’s. So that’s where we’re at now — it’s been going on for 10 years.
“My argument is that the council grit it and granted permission to Highland Broadband to dig it up to put cables in. If it’s not theirs, why are they the ones who granted permission?
“All I’ve asked for, is to put a drain in — that would solve the problem. But they keep saying it’s not their land — yet they aren’t showing any proof for that.
“It’s frustrating. I just want it done — it can’t carry on. We’re at a standstill.”
The Ross-shire Journal put the concerns to Highland Council this week. A spokesperson said: “We are unable to provide a response within the timescale provided.”
A Scottish Water spokesperson said: “Scottish Water has previously investigated flooding at this property and we believe the cause is likely to be surface water run off during rainfall events and unrelated to our waste water network.
"Flooding is complex and can be caused by a wide range of factors, particularly during periods of extreme rainfall.
“It is therefore vital that all partners work collaboratively with the council as the local Flood Authority to reduce the risk of flooding and we are happy to offer advice to help resolve this issue if required."