Letter to the Editor: I am writing in response to your dramatic headlines ‘So how long does Borth have in its race against the tides’ (Cambrian News, 9 November).

Newcomers to Borth might wonder if Armageddon is nigh. I would respectfully point out there are inaccuracies in your report, attributable to Borth residents, who I understand are a small group led by some Borth councillors, as reflected in Borth Community Council minutes, and James Davies, who has a track record of criticising Ceredigion County Council and especially the Borth coastal defence scheme on many occasions.

I am aware how hard Ceredigion County Council officers worked to secure Phases 1 and 2 funding for Borth and it is disappointing when some with limited knowledge like to present themselves as so-called experts, which unfortunately can influence others.

Long-standing residents will be aware of the storms that have lashed Borth over the decades, where waves broke over the top of the houses and the main street through the village was strewn with pebbles.

In 2001, a visioning event on the future coastal defence options for the village was attended by 150 members of the community. The number one choice was an open beach aspect to the rear of the seaward side houses. This option was progressed by Ceredigion County Council in partnership with the Welsh Government.

Phase 1, being the shingle bank, rock groynes, breakwaters and offshore reef was completed in 2015 and, in my view, those works prevented massive damage to many properties during Storm Barra, which was later graded by some as a 1-in-150 to 1-in-200 storm event, whilst Phases 1 and 2 were engineered to a 1-in-100 storm event.

Depending on the severity of the storm and prevailing offshore winds, our sea defences will always be susceptible to overtopping, which can cause flooding, which is a reality for a village with an open coastal frontage.

The visioning event was firmly against building a high sea wall, which would have detracted from the view of the beach.

I accept there is a problem opposite the Premier Stores, with the scouring of the shingle bank which Ceredigion County Council are aware of. It is at a point where Phases 1 and 2 marry up and perhaps that interface needs realigning but that is for the coastal engineers to address.

In respect of Phase 3 in your report, a comment attributable to Cllr Hugh Hughes inaccurately reports that Ceredigion County Council has failed in their promise to consult specialist engineers.

Ceredigion County Council engaged the services of AECOM Flood and Coastal Erosion Risk Management Consultants to develop the Phase 3 Outline Business Case (OBC) to develop and identify a preferred option.

Rhodri Llwyd, Ceredigion County Council coastal engineer was involved with all phases of the work.

In May 2020 an AECOM report gave an Outline Case Review of 14 options they had considered, which had been refined down to three options, and the intention was to go out to public consultation on those three options.

It was at the May 2020 report meeting that NRW announced they had initiated a Strategic Outline Case (SOC) for the area adjacent to the AECOM OBC, therefore the AECOM OBC has been held in abeyance.

In my view NRW acted unprofessionally towards Ceredigion County Council because they were engaged in the AECOM consultation and they never came clean with their intention until the May meeting.

I immediately wrote to Elin Jones AM expressing my displeasure because there is another aspect to Phase 3, which is the protection of the main railway line to Aberystwyth.

I requested Elin to seek confirmation from Welsh Government on the future protection of the line but Welsh Government failed to give a confirmatory response and I assume the matter is still pending.

Perhaps the Cambrian News might wish to progress the long-term future of the railway line between Dovey Junction and Aberystwyth, bearing in the mind the £8 million investment in the Bow Street station. I understand NRW are currently working on their OBC whilst in the meantime the Borth Phase 3 is on hold.

My final point is that Ceredigion County Council have never said that Phases 1 and 2 alone would protect Borth because Borth isn’t just at risk from the sea, and it was recognised the standard of protection would reduce with climate change/sea level rise and national policy from 2055 onward is one of Managed Realignment.

It is NRW who are responsible for managing flood risk from the sea and main rivers and in my view Ceredigion County Council have and continue to go above and beyond of what is required of them.

Ray Quant,

Llandre