FIFE Council are sifting through a “significant number” of applications for up to £5,000 of flood protection assistance for homes and businesses. 

The scheme was announced and, at the end of April, local residents were encouraged to apply for a grant.

At a recent meeting, councillors were told: “We have had a significant number of applicants – well over 70 now – which our team is going through. It’s quite a lot." 

The scheme will award up to £5,000 per applicant to help reduce the internal damage to properties as a result of flooding.

The council previously said they will bring “significant financial and mental benefit” to homeowners and reduce “down time” following flood events. 

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They are already working to protect the properties in their housing stock, but now they are offering assistance for homes and businesses in the private sector. 

In February, councillors agreed to allocate £500,000 to help protect properties in Fife from the effects of flooding as part of the 2024/25 budget.

In April, the full details of the scheme were approved and the grant application scheme was launched.

The council’s manager for structural services, Michael Anderson, said: “As expected there has been a lot of interest in the grant scheme and we’ve had a significant number of applications.

“At this stage it’s too early to say how many of these will result in grant funding being allocated as every application has to be assessed with supporting information and we’re working our way through these now.”

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In the last four years, Fife has experienced “a number of extreme weather events” with approximately 1,300 reports of flooding to properties, businesses and roads across the Kingdom in that time.