MUSSELBURGH residents can view plans for flood prevention measures in the town at an open day at Venue 2 at The Brunton on Tuesday, 11am-9pm.

The event will allow residents to discuss any issues they have faced with flooding in the area with the Musselburgh Flood Protection Scheme project team who are running the event, as well as get advice from groups such as Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), the Scottish Flood Forum and the council’s emergency planning section.

In recent years, the combination of rising sea levels and changing weather patterns has suggested a possibly higher incidence of flooding events in the future.

The project team is currently finalising a new hydraulic model which will be capable of simulating flood risks.

The new flood maps derived from this model, along with the proposed flood protection options, will be presented to the town via a formal public exhibition this summer.

With the danger of flooding in Musselburgh from both the Forth and the River Esk, the project team is looking to work with the community on how best to prevent or minimise flood damage.

Councillor Norman Hampshire, cabinet member for environment, said: “Only once the flood risk is fully understood can the project start developing the best combination of flood risk reduction measures through which that risk can be reduced and the town protected.

“I would urge Musselburgh residents who may be concerned to come along to the open day and discover more about the extensive works being planned to protect their town from flood risks.”

The project team is seeking information from any residents who might have memories or photographs of the last major flood that inundated Musselburgh High Street in 1948 in order to be better prepared for the future.

Conor Price, project manager for the scheme, said: “Historical evidence of past flood events is hugely valuable to the project team.

“We can use photographs of flood level to re-run simulations of the flood events that previously occurred and calibrate our new hydraulic model.”