Balfour Beatty to protect homes and businesses in Perth and Kinross through £27 million flood defence scheme

Balfour Beatty has been awarded a £27 million contract to deliver the Comrie flood protection scheme in Scotland, on behalf of Perth and Kinross Council.

Awarded through the SCAPE Civil Engineering Framework, a rapid access framework designed to drive collaboration, efficiency, time and cost savings, the scheme will see Balfour Beatty construct 2.8 kilometres of river walls and embankments in Comrie along the Ruchill River, River Earn and River Lednock, an area known for significant flooding.

On completion, the flood defences will protect nearly 200 local homes and business, having been designed to meet a ‘1 in 200 year flood’ standard of protection, ensuring they can handle such severe flooding events that only have a 0.5% chance of occurring each year.

As part of Balfour Beatty’s commitment to leaving a lasting positive legacy for the communities in which it operates, the team will spend 50 hours visiting local schools to help educate students on the benefits of sustainable construction, how the scheme will protect the local area, and the opportunities a career in the industry can offer.

In 2018, Balfour Beatty succesfully delivered the Almondbank flood protection scheme for Perth and Kinross Council, comprising of a series of flood defences including flood walls, raised embankments and erosion protection measures along River Almond, protecting over 150 properties in Almondbank.

Hector MacAulay MBE, Managing Director of Balfour Beatty’s regional business in Scotland, said: “We are pleased to have been appointed to this scheme building on our long-standing and successful relationship in delivering flood defence works for Perth and Kinross Council.

“Drawing on our extensive experience and expertise, the scheme will not only better protect properties, businesses and key infrastructure from the risk of flooding but future-proof the town, ensuring it remains protected for generations to come."

Councillor Grant Laing, Leader of Perth and Kinross Council, said: “I am delighted that we have an agreement in place with Balfour Beatty, and that work on this important project can begin.

“The complex scheme has been designed to the highest possible standard to protect Comrie from significant flood events, and it should bring peace of mind to homeowners and businesses who have sadly experienced the trauma of repeated flooding in the town over the years.”

Works are due to commence imminently with completion expected in Autumn 2026. At construction peak, the schemes will employ a workforce of around 100 people, including 10 apprenticeship, graduate, and trainee positions.

ENDS

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Notes to editors:

• Balfour Beatty is a leading international infrastructure group with over 26,000 employees driving the delivery of powerful new solutions, shaping thinking, creating skylines and inspiring a new generation of talent to be the change-makers of tomorrow.
• We finance, develop, build, maintain and operate the increasingly complex and critical infrastructure that supports national economies and deliver projects at the heart of local communities.
• Over the last 114 years we have created iconic buildings and infrastructure all over the world. Currently, we are working to deliver Hinkley Point C, the first UK nuclear power station in a generation; constructing the world-class arts and cultural facility, the Lyric Theatre, in Hong Kong; and designing, building, financing, operating and maintaining the Automated People Mover superstructure at the fifth busiest airport in the world, Los Angeles International Airport.
• From Dunfermline’s tramways in 1909 to highland hospitals today, Balfour Beatty has been trusted for over a century to deliver the complex and critical infrastructure and iconic buildings Scotland relies on.
• We have the people, knowledge and experience to safely deliver projects right first time, maximising value for money and ensuring a positive social impact and inclusive economic growth for local communities.
• Our award-winning sustainable projects, including active travel, Passivhaus and retrofit, demonstrate our commitment to supporting Scotland’s transition towards net zero in the built environment.