Conern over flooding risk preparation
A LOW-LYING community on the outskirts of Llanelli is likely to flood more often and more significantly within the next 30 years, according to a report.
The Carmarthenshire Council report said Bynea was the only coastal community in the county which had been recently assessed in regards to the impacts of sea level rise and climate change.
Although it didn’t give any further details about Bynea, the report said that around 2,300 homes and 300 businesses, spread across 19 communities in Carmarthenshire, were at risk of tidal flooding and coastal erosion.
The report painted a stark picture of a lack of preparedness given the “significant pressures and increased risks” that climate change is bringing.
“There is currently little or no evidence both nationally and locally of forward planning for the impacts of climate change and sea level rise,” it said.
“As such, the communication of these risks and engagement with our coastal communities at greatest risk from climate change and sea level rise is almost non-existent.”
The report, which was discussed by the council’s place, sustainability and climate change scrutiny committee, was described by Cllr John James as worrying.
“This is one of the most crucial areas, going forward, as a society,” he said.
The report said Carmarthenshire had 56 miles of coastline, and that nine miles of it was “hard engineered” to protect against flooding and erosion. It said there has been shift at a strategic level away from prevention and towards adaptation and risk management.
Ben Kathrens, the council’s flood defence and coastal protection manager, told councillors: “Adaptation is learning to live with risk that’s palatable. We cannot defend every stretch of coastline.”
Carmarthenshire Council has around 40 things it has to do as part of the shoreline management plan, and the report said just under half of them still need doing.
The report suggested high-level planning to “consider policies that will allow our coastal communities to adapt to our changing coastline”, more work to understand the impacts of sea level rise on coastal communities, and communication of risk to people in at-risk areas.
The council told the Local Democracy Reporting Service that the 19 communities considered by Natural Resources Wales as being at risk of tidal flooding and coastal erosion in Carmarthenshire were Hendy, Llangennech, Bryn, Llwynhendy, Llanelli, Burry Port, Pembrey, Kidwelly, Llansaint, Broadlay, Ferryside, Llansteffan, Llanybri, St Clears, Laugharne, Broadway, Brook, Llanmiloe and Pendine.