FUTURE coastal protection works in Llandudno will not prevent a sandy beach returning to the town’s north shore, a senior council officer has said.
Speaking at an economy and place overview and scrutiny committee, Owen Conry promised councillors that Conwy’s flood defence team would work towards ensuring a sandy beach remained an option for the north shore.
The discussions were part of a bi-annual overview of the county’s coastal and fluvial flood risk reduction schemes.
Mr Conry, Conwy’s interim flood risk and infrastructure manager, was asked by Llandudno councillor Thomas Montgomery for assurances that future planned coastal defence work would not damage plans for a sandy beach.
In 2014, 50,000 tonnes of rock was placed on Llandudno’s north shore beach as part of coastal defence work, which many say damaged the town’s tourist trade.
And this year 12,500 signatures were added to a Senedd petition calling for the sandy beach to be restored, similar to the man-made beach in Colwyn Bay.
The council is now believed to be looking at funding options for the sandy beach to be reinstated.
Mr Conry said: “There is nothing in the proposed design of the coastal defence improvement works that we are proposing that will negate the possibility of putting a sandy beach back in parts of Llandudno.
“Democracy has said they want to have a sand beach.
“We as Conwy County Council want to pursue the sand option.
“I think the democratic body has said that, but no, there is nothing in what we will be proposing that will impact negatively on putting, at some stage in the future, if funding is available, a sand beach on parts of north shore.”
Welsh Government has offered the council £7m in flood protection money for a rock-based scheme at North Shore but says the Wales flooding fund can’t afford the sand and groynes project that would cost £24m.
Campaigners have asked for more from the Welsh Government and an application is also being considered for UK Government levelling up funding.
Similar beach schemes in Colwyn Bay and Rhos-on-Sea were backed by EU funds that are now not available after Brexit.
The petition reaching 10,000 signatures means the matter can be officially debated at the Senedd.
After complaints from Cllr Mandy Hawkins about homes being flooded in Llandudno during Storm Babet, Mr Conry denied any homes were flooded due to blocked gullies.
“It is very easy to identify all the gullies blocked and properties that flooded,” he said.
“No properties that I am aware of in the last event flooded because of gullies.
“It is inconvenient. There certainly were areas where there was water close, but if you go to Llandudno – I was there at 8am on the Saturday morning (after the storm) – every one of the gullies were clear, all around, the whole area.”
Councillors backed the report.
