Significant project to safeguard part of Bangor from coastal flooding completed

Cyngor Gwynedd has completed a project worth nearly £6 million that will protect the Hirael area of Bangor from the effects of coastal flooding and improve local recreational resources.

For the past 10 months, Council engineers have been responsible for the work to install new flood gates and walls; raising the level of the promenade and creating a new slipway; and creating a cycle path and other recreational resources in the area.

The work is designed to protect nearly 200 domestic and commercial properties in this area of Bangor from coastal flooding – a problem likely to be exacerbated as the sea level rises and as extreme weather becomes more common, due to climate change.

The work was funded through the Welsh Government's Coastal Risk Management Programme.

The community have come together to celebrate the completion of the project and to learn more about the work. Chair of Cyngor Gwynedd, Beca Roberts, unveiled a plaque to mark the occasion.

Councillor Berwyn Parry Jones, Cyngor Gwynedd's Cabinet Member for Highways, Engineering and Consultancy Department, said: "This important work mitigates flood risk in the Hirael area of Bangor and benefits the whole community.

"I'm sure local people will benefit as well from the recreational improvements that have been made as a result of the work, including the creation of a new path for walkers and cyclists and installing new benches around the promenade.

"The Wales Coast Path and the National Cycle Path go along the promenade, a stone's throw from Hirael, so this project is a great opportunity to improve links with these two important attractions."

Councillor Berwyn Parry Jones added: "Once the work to improve the sewerage system in the area has been completed by Welsh Water, our officers will be able to return to Lon Traeth to finish minor works."

The Welsh Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies said: “It was fantastic to visit the Hirael Bay scheme which will reduce the risk of coastal flooding to nearly 200 homes and businesses.

“I saw firsthand how the scheme will also benefit the community by creating an active travel route, which connects the cycle route and coastal path from Eryri through to Bangor Pier.

“We’ve made significant investments to improve Wales' coastal defence infrastructure in recent years through our Coastal Risk Management Programme (CRMP) investment, with £291m worth of investment over five years and once all 15 schemes across Wales are finished will benefit almost 14,000 properties.”

As part of the project, Engineers from Cyngor Gwynedd's Consultancy Department have been to Ysgol Hirael recently to talk to the children about the impacts of climate change on our communities and how engineering works, such as this project in Hirael, can protect local infrastructure.

During the works, a fig-tree growing from the old sea wall at Hirael – which is of local significance – was moved under the supervision of arboriculture specialists to a spot south of the Lon Traeth east car park, conserving it for the future.

Notes

Cyngor Gwynedd's YGC Department managed the project and provided design support. Griffiths Construction were appointed to carry out the work on site.

Strict environmental measures were followed throughout the construction process and a marine licence for the work was obtained from Natural Resources Wales.

More information and photos throughout the project are available online: https://hirael.ygc.cymru/