£56m for flood and coastal defences in Wales
AN “AMBITIOUS” £56m programme has been announced by the Welsh Government aiming to improve flood and coastal erosion defences.
The Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management programme will provide funding to deliver schemes designed to protect people, properties and businesses across the country.
Hannah Blythyn, Minister for Environment, said: “Flooding can have a devastating impact on the lives of those affected.”
The programme is designed to support flood risk management activities across Wales during the next financial year. Schemes planned for 2018 into 2019 in the construction phase are expected to benefit more than 6,500 properties.
Natural Resources Wales and local authorities will receive funding to deliver flood risk management schemes aiming to protect people,
properties and businesses.
Many of the schemes are also intended to deliver wider benefits, including habitat improvements, recreational advantages and reducing risk to infrastructure.
The funding will be used to complete the construction of new and existing projects, as well as designing future schemes.
Ms Blythyn said: “This funding of £56m further demonstrates our commitment to reduce risk and build resilience to flooding and coastal erosion. We are investing in new schemes and major maintenance right across Wales.”
The programme was developed with representatives from Welsh Government, Natural Resources Wales, Welsh Water and local authorities.
The Institution of Civil Engineers and the Welsh Local Government Association were also involved.
New schemes will include flood defences at Leckwith in Cardiff, Llanmaes in the Vale of Glamorgan and Machynys in Llanelli.
Flood defences will also be constructed at Parc yr Onnen in Aberystwyth, Llanberis in Gwynedd and Llansannan and Mochdre in Conwy.
There will be tidal works to the River Cadoxton and works at the Llyn Tegid Reservoir in Gwynedd.
The programme has been prioritised according to risk, taking into account factors such as the likelihood and impact of a flood, previous events and the number of properties to benefit.
Natural Resources Wales’ budget for flood risk management activities has been protected for the next financial year.
Plans for a new Wales Coastal Monitoring Centre were announced by the Welsh Government last week. The centre will aim to inform decisions on potential schemes for coastal adaptation.
The minister said: “I am pleased to announce this ambitious programme, which will support communities and areas right across Wales who are most at risk from flooding and coastal erosion.”
Several parts of Wales were recently hit by flash flooding following a bout of torrential rain in January. Worst affected areas included Gower, Ceredigion, Pembrokeshire and Carmarthenshire.
The same thing happened in November last year, when emergency services received dozens of calls for help as rivers burst their banks and roads were water-logged, with Gwynedd and Anglesey being the worst hit.
Four flood warnings and 15 flood alerts were in place across the region and many major routes, including parts of the A55 and A5, were closed. Train services were also at a standstill, with railway lines blocked by floodwater and damage.