Gwynedd Council’s flood defence plan “is not the best or safest option for Barmouth, its visitors and future generations to come”, says resident Kyle Smith.

He fears it threatens businesses, tourism and safety.

“All of a sudden the sand dunes are getting bigger and now we are told Barmouth North is going to have 86,000 tons of rocks stretching 1.2km at 18 meters wide, from the prom to the sea,” he said.

Kyle says Gwynedd’s plans, comprising 48 files containing 2,099 pages to download, mean most will not read them, so he set up Facebook group ‘Barmouth Flood Defence Scheme’, and created a document and a video to highlighting his issues with the plans.

“I believe it is unfair the general public must download separate files and read through over 2,099 pages of technical documentation to understand what the council is proposing,” said Kyle.

“There are also many sections that contradict each other. YGC [Ymgynghoriaeth Gwynedd Consultancy - the council’s in-house consultancy] should have produced a concise, 20-page summary document, written in plain language, outlining their final intentions — with references to the technical documents where necessary.

“Within the files there is no mention of a fire emergency plan, or how the fire service would access any part of the council estate under the proposed flood gate arrangement. Key access points affected include Marine Parade (the junction near the school and Celtic Cabin), Heol Idris (the council estate side of the Coastguard Station), Tair Heli/Heol Llywelyn, and the north end of the promenade.

“There is also no mention of who is the responsible person or authority for operating the gates, how long the gates will remain closed before and after a storm, the weather scale or threshold that triggers gate closure, whether the gates will be locked to prevent tampering or sabotage during flood operation...

“This situation poses a significant fire and access risk to numerous properties and Min y Môr Hotel, as emergency access would be restricted to a single congested route — Marine Road, Marine Gardens, and Wellington Terrace.

“A fire engine could not reach the council estate. This serious safety issue must be acknowledged and addressed before the application proceeds to planning. An alternative route for emergency services should be considered — for example, a temporary access road via the foot crossing down Park Road near the football pitch.”

Gwynedd Council said: “The Barmouth North Promenade Flood Alleviation Scheme (FAS) has been in development for a number of years and aims to protect over 700 properties currently at risk of coastal flooding in Barmouth.

“The proposed development is informed by comprehensive assessments, surveys, and site investigations, including physical modelling to validate the proposed flood defence geometry.

“We are currently reviewing the feedback received as part of the pre-application consultation process and will undertake further engagement before submitting any planning application.”

Kyle added: “I'm not a climate change denier nor do I deny Barmouth needs a flood defence, but what YGC suggests is not the best or safest option for Barmouth, its visitors and its future generations to come.”