Argyll and Bute Council to spend further £1.3m on Storm Eowyn repair costs
Councillors have greenlit extra funding to the tune of £1.3million to aid Argyll and Bute's recovery from Storm Eowyn, which wreaked havoc on buildings, roads, infrastructure and marine assets.
The fierce storm lashed the country in January, with wind speeds reaching a staggering 100mph, resulting in widespread destruction.
Power outages, suspended ferry services, obstructed roads and tidal flooding were among the issues plaguing numerous communities across Argyll and Bute.
Council infrastructure bore the brunt of the damage, particularly roads, sea walls and harbour facilities, along with other areas such as burial sites, parks, recycling centres and operational depots.
The total projected repair costs are pegged at £3.9m, and councillors have today (Thursday) agreed to an additional £1.3m in funding towards these costs, if necessary.
Argyll and Bute Council lodged an application to the Scottish Government's Bellwin Scheme in May 2025 and is awaiting confirmation for funding of £352,898.
The storm left a trail of destruction across council properties, with four properties suffering major damage.
These properties, included the severely damaged Helensburgh Leisure Centre, Glencruitten Hostel and Park Primary School, both in Oban, and Struan Lodge Care Home in Dunoon, which are currently subject to an insurance claim.
The council is liaising with the loss adjustor to prioritise repair works.
Councillors have agreed to a service payment increment of £65,000 per month for LiveArgyll, beginning in November until Helensburgh Leisure Centre reopens, continuing for an additional two months thereafter.
Councillor Ross Moreland, who leads on Finance and Commercial Service, commented on the storm's repercussions, saying: "Storm Eowyn had a severe impact on our communities and affected many different elements of our local infrastructure.
"Substantial funding has already been committed to supporting the recovery process and implementing the repairs programme. With severe weather events becoming more frequent, it's vital we allocate additional funding to help improve our future resilience to such events."
The Lennox Herald earlier this month reported how the roof of Helensburgh's storm-hit leisure centre will have to be completely replaced after it was ripped off in the storm.
The £22m state-of-the-art facility remains out of commission while the council disclosed that repair works necessitate total replacement of the building's roof.
In a statement earlier this month, the council said: "The roof has been damaged to such an extent that the entire roofing system will require to be removed and then relayed layer by layer. Unfortunately, it is not as straightforward as sourcing more roofing sheets and re-attaching them as has been suggested by some.
"Given that almost 60 per cent of the outer roofing materials were lost during the storm, an internal rainwater capture system has been recommended by the insurers and disaster recovery experts which is common in similarly damaged buildings.
"This system has been installed by the council and its contractors, and protects the internals from further water damage, whilst allowing roofing contractors to work on the building from above."
The council expressed its appreciation to those who lent a hand in the storm's aftermath, saying: "If we had not got things moving as quickly as we did, the repair time could have been longer.
"We also want to thank the users of the leisure centre who have been patient while we take the necessary steps to rectify the situation and have taken up the alternative arrangements put in place by Live Argyll to provide leisure services."
The repair efforts have included identifying the extent of the damage to the building, and from there the repairs needed to re-instate and reduce the risk of similar events happening again, liaising with loss adjustors and insurers about financing the recovery work, commissioning contractors to carry out work, and working with Live Argyll on alternative proposals for leisure services while this work is being done.
Progress thus far has seen protective measures put in place, the reopening of car parks and electric vehicle charging stations, and the temporary relocation of gym and fitness classes to other facilities. Furthermore, an elaborate "water capture system" has been installed to shield the structure from additional harm.
While no exact timeline for finishing the repairs has been set, the council predicts that it might be as late as March next year before the premises can welcome visitors once more.
The council's objective, they stated, is to have the centre operational again "as soon as practicable".
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