Geography

Borth

Borth’s coastal management scheme is taking place because Borth has old sea defences which have been used for the last 40 years. Concerns have been raised by both residents and engineers employed by the Authority regarding the lifespan of the existing defences, and whilst they have served the community well over the last 40 years or so, they are now coming to the end of their useful life.

Costs:

An outline Design Study was carried out in 2008 to determine the location, size and quantity of structures required to maintain a sufficient beach profile to protect the village of Borth, an the Community was once again consulted on this process.

Ceredigion County Council has been in continuous dialogue with the Welsh Assembly Government and as a result if the evidence presented to them through the various studies, the scheme has secured £7m of funding for 2009/10 and 2011, comprising Coast Protection Grant from the Welsh Assembly Government and Convergence Funding from the Welsh European Funding Office.

This will enable us to move the project forward and undertake the first phase of the scheme which will involve the construction of the multi-purpose reef, two rock breakwaters and two rock groynes.

Engineering Activities:

Multi-purpose Reef: Specialist reed designers have been appointed by Royal Haskoning to assist in the design of the Multi-Purpose Reef element. The reef will be constructed near the Craig y Delyn cliffs to the south of Borth and will generate a wider beach inshore, which will act as the coast protection component. It will be submerged at high tide and will influence the waves passing over it to improve surfing conditions. It will not create waves from nothing but will instead act to focus and shape the waves to improve surfability.

Outcome: The Multi-Purpose Reef, whilst primarly providing coast protection benefits, will also help form existing waves into a better shape for surfing, and will give surfers a longer controlled ride....