Dighty Burn Restoration

Project Overview

The Dighty Restoration Project aims to restore the Dighty Water which runs through Dundee, creating accessible blue‑green corridors and delivering climate‑resilient, community‑focused environmental improvements. The restoration involves re‑meandering straightened channels, reinstating wetlands, and replacing artificial banks with naturalised forms to restore ecological function and improve biodiversity.

The project is being led by Dundee City Council in partnership with Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) and Scottish Water through the Water Resilient Dundee partnership.

What We Are Doing

A key strategic ambition, connected to WRD, is reducing dependency on Dundee’s predominantly combined sewer system, where 88.5% of the city currently drains to the combined network. Restoring natural watercourses and providing alternative rainwater pathways is essential to this long-term transition.

The Dighty corridor provides one of Dundee’s best opportunities to:

• Capture, treat and convey rainwater directly to the natural environment, reducing inflows to the combined system
• Support future disconnection of surface water from key neighbourhoods (Fintry, Linlathen, Mid Craigie, Happyhillock)
• Inform wider district drainage strategies under the WRD initiative

The next 12 months will focus on ensuring that ecological restoration works align with strategic drainage transformation across the catchment.

The WRD Steering Group will also play a key role in maintaining a consistency of approach, strategic direction and integration with other citywide drainage, flooding and regeneration programmes.

Have Your Say

Feedback is being sought from the local community on current proposals for the area - you can find out more and submit your comments by visiting the Storymap website that has been set up for the project.