The Brechin floods caused by Storm Babet in October 2023 weren’t just a natural disaster — they were a failure of leadership and planning at the highest levels. The warning signs were there, the solutions were offered, but Angus Council refused to act.
Brechin has a long history of flooding, with major events recorded as far back as 1853. After severe flooding in 2002, Angus Council introduced the Brechin Flood Prevention Scheme (FPS), which was completed in 2015. However, even before Storm Babet, it was clear that the FPS was no longer fit for purpose.
Global warming data was revised in 2016, showing that the flood risk had increased significantly. Angus Council received updated reports from independent consultants in 2021 confirming that the existing defences were no longer sufficient — but they did nothing.
In 2021, local landowners, including the Mackie family, offered to pay for the necessary upgrades to the flood defences themselves. The plan included raising the bunds and reinforcing the existing barriers to better protect the town. Angus Council rejected the offer outright, claiming that it could "exacerbate flooding" in other areas.
When Storm Babet hit, the flood defences failed almost immediately. Water poured into Brechin, overwhelming homes, businesses, and infrastructure. The Matrix (Regal Rexnord) facility, a key employer in the town with over 100 employees, suffered catastrophic damage, losing around £3.5 million in equipment and staff costs. Matrix shut down machine plant operations in January 2024, resulting in approximately 30 redundancies.
Despite the scale of the disaster, government agencies failed to respond adequately. Scottish Enterprise (SE) representatives claimed they couldn’t offer help because Matrix hadn't directly asked for it — a position described as "shambolic" by those involved.
Independent reports confirmed that the flooding could have been prevented if Angus Council had acted on the updated climate data and carried out the necessary improvements. The council’s refusal to act, even when offered financial help to fix the problem, directly contributed to the destruction that followed.
Brechin’s residents were left to clean up the mess and rebuild their lives with little support or accountability from the people who were supposed to protect them. This site exists to push for answers, accountability, and action — because the people of Brechin deserve better.