Agenda item
PROPOSED CENTRAL RHYL AND CENTRAL PRESTATYN COASTAL DEFENCE SCHEMES
To consider a report (copy enclosed) by the Council’s Flood Risk Manager on the value and benefits of investing in both schemes for the communities concerned and the county in general and seek members’ support for progressing their approval through the Council’s decision-making processes.
10.10am – 11am
Minutes:
The Lead Member for
Environment and Transport, Councillor Barry Mellor, introduced the report
(previously circulated) on the Proposed Central Rhyl and Central Prestatyn
Coastal Defence Schemes alongside the Interim Head of Highways and
Environmental Services and the Flood Risk Manager.
The report detailed
two potential coastal flood risk management schemes for
Central Rhyl and
Central Prestatyn. The report aimed to provide an update to the Committee
regarding the development of the schemes and the next steps involved, to allow
the Committee to scrutinise both schemes before they go were presented
to the Strategic Investment Group (SIG), Cabinet & Council (where a
decision to deliver the schemes would be sought). Full Business Cases for both
schemes were in development and would be submitted to the Welsh Government (WG)
by the end of September 2022. However, draft Business Cases were attached as
Appendices 5 & 6 to provide further details of the rationale for taking
both schemes forward to the construction stage.
Both these appendices were exempted from public disclosure.
Members of the
Committee discussed the following further –
·
Councillor
Martyn Hogg thanked the officers involved with the schemes as he had emailed
them before the meeting requesting additional information, which had been
provided. However, he sought further information relating to the rock scouring
and the carbon offset with the development. Councillor Hogg wanted to ensure
that the rock scouring would not cause the sandy beaches in the area to
disappear; he also queried what impact the development would have on carbon
emissions. The responding officer assured the Committee that the rock scouring
would be monitored to ensure the sands would remain at the beaches and that the
carbon impact of the site would be offset by the benefit to the communities of
building the defences to reduce the risk of flooding from the sea.
·
Officers
confirmed to the Committee that some kiosks would have to close to accommodate
the flood defence construction, although there would be opportunities available
for them to re-establish their businesses once the construction work had been
completed. The children’s village would
not be required to move. Communication
with all affected parties was continually undertaken in a bid to minimise the
impact of the disruption on all involved.
·
Rhyl
Golf Club and whether the Prestatyn Coastal Defence scheme would impact the
club was raised. It was confirmed that the Golf Club would be required to close
temporarily as would the cycle path alongside it for a short period. The
Council, the owner of the land where the Club was situated, had a good working
relationship with the Golf Club. Arrangements
had been facilitated with other local golf clubs to permit Rhyl Golf Club
members to play at other courses for the duration of the closure period.
Having considered
the information provided in the report and its appendices, along with the answers
provided during the discussion to members’ questions, the Committee:
RESOLVED: to –
(i) acknowledge
the value and benefits to be gained from investing in both schemes to the
communities in Rhyl and Prestatyn and to the county in general;
(ii) recommend
that both schemes be submitted to the Strategic Investment Group (SIG), Cabinet
and Council successively for their respective approval (as per the timetable in
Appendix 4 to the report);
(iii) confirm
that, as part of its consideration, it had read, understood and taken into
account the Wellbeing Impact Assessments for both schemes (Appendices 3a &
3b to the report); and
(iv) support
the progression of both schemes to construction, subject to funding approval.
Supporting documents:
- Coastal Defence Schemes Report 080922, item 5. PDF 301 KB
- Coastal Defence Schemes Report 080922 - App 1, item 5. PDF 680 KB
- Coastal Defence Schemes Report 080922 - App 2, item 5. PDF 375 KB
- Coastal Defence Schemes Report 080922 - Appendix 3a, item 5. PDF 104 KB
- Coastal Defence Schemes Report 080922 - Appendix 3b, item 5. PDF 110 KB
- Coastal Defence Schemes Report 080922 - App 4, item 5. PDF 212 KB
- Restricted enclosure View the reasons why document 5./7 is restricted
- Restricted enclosure View the reasons why document 5./8 is restricted