ENVIRONMENT experts have warned that a planned bypass of Llanbedr could increase the chances of the village flooding.

The proposed access road, which is intended to ease the flow of traffic through the village and improve accessibility to Llanbedr Airfield, has been the centre of an ongoing row between residents in recent months.

Proponents of the scheme, which has been funded by Welsh Assembly Government, suggest the new road will bring economic prosperity to the region, whereas objectors suggest the bypass will be an “environmental disaster” for the area.

In correspondence between Natural Resources Wales and Gwynedd Council, which has been obtained through a Freedom of Information request, NRW officials say: “Depending on the detailed design, any new road across the flood plain has the potential to have significant impact on upstream flood risk in an area of known historic flood risk.

“Obviously a larger bridge span, or better still a viaduct, would limit the impact.

“The proposal shows a crossing of the floodplain, flood defences, the Afon Artro and the existing road. Depending on the roadway design, this would be likely to restrict flood conveyance, potentially increasing upstream flood levels, which could increase flood risk within Llanbedr.”

See the full story in this week’s Meirionnydd edition of the Cambrian News