Dozens of homes devastated by Storm Babet almost three years ago will be demolished.

Hundreds of people were forced to abandon their properties when the powerful weather system hit Brechin, in Angus, with the South Esk breaching flood defences sending water cascading in the River Street area of the town.

It took months before they were allowed back and many of the houses remain empty.

Angus councillors have now approved plans to bulldoze 145 houses and flats, including 29 in private ownership, plus five garages.

They also agreed changes to the river’s flood defences that will potentially cost £8.2million.

Storm Babet swept across much of Scotland and north-east England in October 2023 with powerful gusts of up to 110mph and relentless downpours that saw six month’s worth of rain fall in just 36 hours.

At least seven people, including Scots Peter Pelling, 61, and John Gillan 56, both from Arbroath, in Angus, and Wendy Taylor, 57, from Errol, Perthshire, died during the storm.

Angus and especially Brechin were among the worst hit and became largely inaccessible while Aberdeen saw major roads turning impassable due to high waters overtopping flood defences on the river South Esk.

Councillor George Meechan told the BBC said there was ‘no simple solution’ for the aftermath of the storm, which cost around £500million worth of property damage across the UK.

Brechin councillor and deputy provost Jill Scott said that despite leaving some people unhappy, the decision would ‘bring closure’ for affected households.

She told the broadcaster: ‘With today’s decision, the residents and council officers now have clarity in the next steps and while there is a lot of work to do, and there remain some risks in progressing this option, we can move forward together.

‘I also want to stress that no-one is going to be made homeless by this decision. Our housing officers will support anyone into their next home, whether they are council tenants, private tenants or homeowners.’

Just two months after the storm, Angus Council said more than 400 households had been affected by flooding during the storm and that it would need at least £4million to deal with repair works.

The decision to demolish homes came as the Scottish Government announced a new £5million Community Resilience Fund to help prepare for and reduce flood risks across Scotland.

It will open next year.

SNP ministers previously pledged £15million to tackle flooding, including managing rainfall and water-flow through planting design, replenishing sand dunes and reducing flood risks with cash to help communities to recover from recent flooding.

Rural Affairs Secretary Gillian Martin told MSPs: ‘Our communities are experiencing heavier rainfall, more frequent storms, rising sea levels – events once considered exceptional are regrettably becoming common.

‘For many, flood risk is no longer a distant future threat; it’s today’s reality.

‘Behind every flood statistic, there are people whose homes, businesses, and communities have been affected.

‘Many of us across the chamber know constituents who have experienced that devastation first-hand, treasured family possessions irretrievably lost, homes damaged, businesses disrupted, and the science is clear: flood risk will continue to increase.

‘We must not only respond to flooding, we must also focus on preparing for the future – reducing risk and, crucially, building resilience, and that’s exactly what this Government is doing.’

Details of the funding are set out in the flood resilience strategy implementation plan, outlining 65 actions organisations across the country will take over the next four years to improve flood resilience.

Ms Martin continued: ‘In 2024, we published the national flood resilience strategy, setting out a clear long-term vision to 2045. It recognised the progress already made through flood protection schemes, forecasting, warning services, community resilience initiatives, and strong partnership working across Scotland.

‘But it also highlighted the need for a different approach. Flood resilience is about more than just managing water; it’s about how we plan our towns and cities, protect vital infrastructure, manage land, and support communities to adapt.

‘The strategy’s vision is straightforward: people and places across Scotland are prepared for increased flood risk with resilience embedded in a way that’s fair, sustainable, and inclusive.

‘Today’s implementation plan turns that vision into action.’