THE FINAL phase of a multi-million pound coastal defence scheme in Borth has been delayed, after being due to go to consultation in June 2021.

On Monday, 31 January, Corporate Lead Officer for Highways for Ceredigion County Council Rhodri Llwyd and County Councillor Ray Quant held a virtual meeting with the Borth community on the third, and final, phase of the Borth coastal defence scheme. While the first and second phase cost £18 million, the council said it is “too early in the process of development of phase three to provide an accurate assessment of likely costs”.

Rhodri said the intention of the defence scheme has changed from Hold the Line, with the current coastline protected, to Managed Realigment, which will see the ‘natural’ coastline realigned.

Due to this, Rhodri spoke of the “expectation that over the 100 year period properties would be vacated” in lower Borth.

In June 2021, the council was preparing to consult on three potential options for the defences, before they were asked to pause their work after Natural Resources Wales (NRW) announced their intention to develop an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the “flood risk associated with Tidal Dyfi and the Cors Fochno area to the back”, as the two projects are being “developed alongside each other”.

Rhodri added: “Development work is continuing regarding future proposals for the Phase three frontage, and when these have been sufficiently developed a community engagement event will be hosted.”

The three options being considered for the coastal defence scheme are a setback flood wall, which would see a higher wall set back around two metres from the line of the current breastworks; managed realignment, which would see an earth clay embankment constructed immediately seaward of the road the B4535 in land of the golf course; or maintain into managed realignment, which would maintain the current alignment of the defence as well as a new earth embankment.