​Minister unveils new £1.4m flood alleviation scheme

A new £1.4m coastal flood defence scheme will be officially opened by the Minister for Natural Resources later today (Thursday, February 25th). ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Carl Sargeant AM will see first-hand how the new Beaumaris Flood Alleviation Scheme is helping protect the town from coastal flooding. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Funded by the Welsh Government (£907,000), European Regional Development Fund (ERDF) (£333,000) and the Isle of Anglesey County Council (£160,000), the scheme has seen a new sea wall built near Beaumaris Green and re-construction of the sea wall along the A545 into the town. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

The coastal defence scheme benefits some 100 homes and 45 businesses in the town, which has historically been subjected to flood problems as a result of high tides and waves. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Highways, Property and Waste Management portfolio holder, Councillor John Arwel Roberts, said, “These new coastal defences will play an important role in ensuring that Beaumaris and its residents are kept as secure as possible from flooding for years to come.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We’re grateful to the Welsh Government and ERDF for their support in making this important scheme a reality and to the Minister for Natural Resources, Carl Sargeant, for attending today’s official opening.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Natural Resources Minister, Carl Sargeant said, “I am pleased to hear reports of this scheme performing well already. I understand that during the December storms, water rose above the previous defence levels on the green. This means that without this investment the wall would have been overtopped and flooding would have occurred. Flood and coastal risk management remains a key priority for the Welsh Government and we have supported this scheme with over £907,000 of funding. I also very much appreciate the contribution of the European Regional Development Fund. Over the lifetime of this government we are investing over £240 million in flood and coastal erosion risk management, supported by an additional £47 million from Europe.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

All three local county councillors for the Seiriol ward, Lewis Davies, Carwyn Jones and Alwyn Rowlands have been strong supporters of the coastal defence scheme. It has also had the backing of Beaumaris Town Council. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Further proposals by the County Council to tackle flooding problems caused during heavy rainfall, which affect a number of streets in the town, are also currently being considered by the Welsh Government. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​