Elected Member Briefing - Canal Street Lade repair works update

About this Briefing Note

Report by: Rick Haynes, Flooding Manager

Date: 17 December 2024

Subject: Canal Street lade, Perth - repair works update

Responsible Officer: Craig Harvey, Engineer (Flooding)

Details

Purpose

This briefing note has been produced to update elected members on the progress of the repairs to the historic sections of the Perth Town Lade following a small collapse of the culvert at Canal Street, Perth. 

Briefing Information

Following the initial defect being brought to the Council's attention on 3 December 2024 we have isolated the area and adjusted traffic to minimise the risk of further incidents.

CCTV Survey

The Council arranged for a specialist contractor, Panton McLeod, to carry out a CCTV survey of the area surrounding the small collapse of the historical section of the Perth Town Lade at Canal Street. The survey was carried out 11 December 2024 and the Council received the interpretive report on 13 December 2024. 

Three drone flights were undertaken from manholes in Canal Street, adjacent to the defect. Large sections of the culvert surveyed are of a masonry arch construction and appear to be in generally good condition (see Figure 1). The extent of the collapse was discovered and recorded (see Figure 2).

Repair

Upon receiving the survey report the Flooding team liaised with the Council's Roads Maintenance Partnership and Tayside Contracts to discuss and plan the repair. A repair approach was agreed and Tayside Contracts have now started the process of procuring a specialist sub-contractor with the required capability and knowledge to carry out the necessary stonework reinstatement using confined space entry and working practices. It should be noted that the diagonal pipework visible in Figure 2 is not part of the defect and will not form part of the repairs proposed as it does not compromise the structural integrity of the Perth Town Lade.

Due to the mobilisation time required for any specialist subcontractor the works will now most likely take place in January 2025. The single lane closure and associated traffic management at Canal Street has been extended until 31 January 2025 to facilitate this. Updates will be provided once contractors have been appointed.

Further investigations

The Flooding team will carry out further and more detailed investigations and an assessment of the condition of the full historical sections of the Perth Town Lade, from its diversion from the active sections of the Lade at Mill Street and South Methven Street to its outfall to the River Tay at Canal Street. This will take place in 2025 once the immediate defect has been repaired.