A SCHEME designed to protect Fairbourne from flooding is set be completed this week.

Natural Resources Wales’s £6.8million initiative to protect over 400 properties in Fairbourne from flooding has now reached its final stage.

The low-laying village is one of the most at risk communities along the Cambrian coastline with regards to rising sea levels.

Responding to the threat, a new area of saltmarsh is being created at Morfa Friog, which will divert high tides away from the village.

An opening will be created in the embankment that currently defends the Natural Resources Wales (NRW) owned land at Morfa Friog, so that sea water can flow in to create saltmarsh.

The area will only flood at very high tide, so people will still be able to access the area outside high tide times.

This area will mitigate for the natural habitats that will be lost over the coming years due to the construction of the scheme.

NRW plans to complete the work within a week, striving to do it in a way that minimises the impact on local people.

Sian Williams, north operations manager for NRW said: “This scheme has helped reduce the risk of flooding for the people in Fairbourne.

“This final piece in the jigsaw means that Morfa Friog will become a new coastal wildlife habitat.”

Over the last three years, NRW has strengthened 1.8 miles of the existing coastal flood defences at Fairbourne and Arthog, and rebuilt the Henddol and Morfa outfalls to provide better control of flood water.

A new flood channel has been created for the river Henddol to divert floodwater away from the village.

By carrying out the saltmarsh creation work now, NRW can make sure that it is undertaken safely, in a controlled way, rather than letting nature take its course.

On completion, the saltmarsh will be managed by natural resource agency.