February Housing Information Sessions

Brechin Newsletter February 2026

Housing

BRSA – Phase 3 Housing Information Sessions

We’d like to share some of the work we’ve been doing on understanding the challenges and possibilities of the council-owned houses in this area. This includes the practical difficulties of remodelling or rebuilding and the reasons that people can’t return to these properties.

We want everyone in the community, council tenants, private tenants and homeowners to be able to see the challenges and possibilities for the future of the area.

We’ll be sharing work which will go to the Housing Committee on 30 March, when elected members will be asked to decide on the next steps.

These information sessions will give you the opportunity to understand the issues, speak directly with Housing and Communities staff, and ask any questions you may have. We would really like as many of the community to attend as possible because the issues are complex and the next stage is really important.

Upcoming Sessions

• Monday 23 February 6pm – 8pm JARS
• Thursday 26 February 9:30am – 12pm The Crickety
• Thursday 26 February 2pm – 6pm JARS

Please try to attend one of these sessions if you can.

Infrastructure

Recent Flooding Concerns

In the second wettest January since records began, on Thursday 22 January, Angus had an Amber weather warning for rain. The river South Esk recently rose to a high level, which led to some concerns for another flooding event in the area.

Flooding early warning

The local resilience partnership met, with Brechin very much on the agenda. From data received from its river gauges, SEPA predicted that the river would peak at about 3.1 metres around 5:00pm on Thursday 22 January, and was confident that the 3.8 metre flood defences would not be breached. The river in fact reached 3.2 metres and peaked earlier, at around 3:30pm. However, these differences are normal, and it shows that the forecasting system is reliable for future warnings.

Inch Park railings

One casualty of the raised water levels were the new railings installed at the Inch. These railings replaced the old stone wall so that water can safely flow into the floodplain in front of the flood defence embankment. These worked exactly as designed, and although they now need to be replaced, it’s far cheaper and easier than replacing a stone wall which may also have caused a wave as it collapsed against the water pressure, as has happened in the past.

Leak on River Street flood wall

A small leak was seen in one section of the concrete flood wall on River Street. The wall is built in separate sections so it can expand and contract with changes in temperature. Each section has seals between the joints, plus an extra seal on the outside. When the river is high, some water can be pushed through these joints, but this does not weaken the wall. The outer sealant does wear out over time because it is exposed to the weather, and it is likely that this section now needs to be renewed.

Uplift to the flood protection scheme - Public Engagement Survey Results

Thank you to everyone who attended the two public engagement sessions and completed the online survey. Your views are helping to guide this process to its final design.

We have reviewed all feedback and considered the issues and suggestions raised. From this we have identified the options that will progress to the developed design stage. These are:

• The Inch bund: most respondents preferred an offset wall
• River Street: most respondents selected the glass panels
• East Mill caravan park: most respondents supported the concrete wall

Work will now begin on further developing the design for each of these elements of the uplift.

Thank you again to everyone who took part. Your contributions have played an important role in shaping the final design.

Communities

Brechin Community Group Meetings

These groups are open to all, and you will be made most welcome. Thank you to everyone who attended February’s group meetings.

• Brechin Community Resilience Group - Monday 9 March 6:30pm Glebe Park – the Blue Cabin

This meeting is for residents to finalise the resilience plan for the locality, review the recent walk around and assess feedback from Scottish Flood Forum. We will also discuss what equipment will be purchased using the Resilience Fund. All welcome.

• Brechin Residents Group – Speak Up Monday 2 March 6.30pm JARS, Victoria Park

The next meeting will focus on what ideas and concerns the group have for the local area. We will also discuss the housing options consultation and look at the potential community art project. We will hopefully also have a chat with the local police officer.

• Brechin Community Drop In – Every Thursday 9.30 -12 noon, The Crickety

The drop-in continues on a weekly basis so pop along for a cuppy if you need a chat, digital support, assistance with anything or have any questions.