Councillors have congratulated all those involved in the £35.6m Aberaeron sea defence scheme, saying it’s doing what it was designed to do – defending homes.

Cllr Gwyn Wigley Evans, chair of the thriving communities committee at Ceredigion County Council, gave a report to Cabinet on Tuesday, in which he congratulated the council service and all those involved in the scheme.

He added: “There are two subject matters, the other being with regard to south pier, which is separate and we decided we should put that to the side as not enough time has gone by and we should come back in December and scrutinise how things have settled.

A dog walker watches the dredging work, which began on Monday 2 February.
A dog walker watches the dredging work, which began on Monday 2 February. (Simon Raw-Rees)

“We understand the designers are looking at making changes.”

Ceredigion council leader, Bryan Davies, said: “Maybe more emphasis on those who have been safeguarded from flooding.

“That is what is important”

Cllr Wigley Evans replied: “It was an opportunity for the department to give their side of the story as there are whispers and rumours etc.

Laughing, Cllr Davies quipped back: “Half the lies aren’t true either.”

Aberaeron’s county councillor Elizabeth Evans also spoke at the meeting, saying she has avoided any negativity around the scheme.

Significant sand has also built up, which locals have dubbed 'Costa del Aberearon'.
Significant sand has also built up, which locals have dubbed 'Costa del Aberaeron'. (Bryn Raw-Rees - BlueSkyCam)

She said: “The overriding message is the scheme works. Theres no way two ways about it.

“I've avoided any kind of negativity regarding that scheme.

“Any negativity that comes from me reflects on our town.

“Regarding lessons learnt, there are lessons to be learnt.

“There was a lot of faffing about on that river wall.

“I would tell colleagues in Aberystwyth that local members needs to be brought in, especially at that design phase. We have knowledge and there was a lot of faffing about regarding the river wall and there are things there that they should have known.

“It's positive. Sorry about the overspend but Aberaeron is worth it.”

Ceredigion council approved a £31.59m cost for the scheme, with £26.85m coming from the Welsh Government to help fund the project.

The project ended up costing just over £4m more than budgeted due to “unforeseen ground conditions, third-party constraints and design development” during construction.

The final cost of the project – built with more than 120,000 tonnes of rock - ended up at just short of £35.6m.

The council has said that while the council will have to cover the overspend, “no revenue funding would be used and there would be no impact on Ceredigion’s residents.”

The report also added that the cost of continual remedial works to fix shingle issues due to the positioning of the breakwater would come out of existing budgets.

As the Cambrian News revealed, the council has had to dredge the area twice since it was built as shingle continually built up around the breakwater at a cost of £15,000 each time it’s needed.

The report also revealed plans to build a flood defence scheme on Aberystwyth’s beaches will be drawn up in the next three years, councillors have been told after funding had been secured from the Welsh Government for the full business case and detailed design work on an Aberystwyth flood defence scheme.