Agenda item

To receive a report by the Asset and Risk Manager (which includes two confidential appendices)(copy attached) for approval to proceed to the construction phase of both schemes.

At this juncture, the Monitoring Officer informed members that Appendices 4 and 5 were Part II Confidential and if discussions were to involve those Appendices the meeting would be required to move to Part II.

The Lead Member for Environment and Transport, Councillor Barry Mellor, introduced the Central Rhyl and Central Prestatyn Coastal Defence Schemes report (previously circulated).

Due to the level of financial commitment required by the council, approval is sought to proceed to the construction phase of both schemes.

The existing coastal defences along Rhyl Golf Course frontage were constructed approximately 70 years ago and were in poor condition.   Due to the condition of the coastal defences, the council wanted to ensure they were upgraded well ahead of time. If the existing defences failed in this location, the flood risk to over 2,000 properties in the Prestatyn area would increase significantly.

The central area of Rhyl (between Splash Point and the Drift Park) was currently protected by sea defences that were deteriorating. The Council wanted to ensure that existing defences were replaced well ahead of time, to protect this popular part of Rhyl's coastline from flooding and coastal erosion. If the existing defences failed in this location, the flood risk to over 600 properties in the Rhyl area would increase significantly.

The planned schemes were set out within the report and summarised by Councillor Mellor.

A full Business Case for both schemes had been submitted to the Welsh Government  (WG) in November 2022.   The Council had worked closely with WG throughout development of the schemes and anticipated WG approval to be granted by the end of December 2022.

A carbon impact assessment had been carried out which showed that, over the lifetime of the scheme, the carbon impacts were very similar to the carbon benefits, which meant that the scheme was carbon neutral.

The Council has been involved in positive discussions and negotiations with businesses affected by the scheme.

The combined cost of both schemes was approximately £92m. 85% was to be funded by the Welsh Government as grant in aid, paid to the Council over a 25-year period through the Revenue Support Grant.

During discussions, the following points were raised:-

·         Local members spoke of the devastation to residents during the floods in previous years and welcomed the flood defence schemes.

·         Members were reassured that the calculation of the modelling for the scheme was correct and would alleviate flooding in the Central Rhyl and Prestatyn areas.

·         It was confirmed that Balfour Beattie representatives would monitor and manage the projects together with consultation with officers.  It was confirmed that the two schemes would seal up the Denbighshire coastline.

·         The construction phase would take place over a three year period.  There was an ongoing dialogue with residents to keep them notified of the works taking place, levels of noise and biodiversity etc.  A public meeting had also recently taken place to ensure local residents were kept fully informed.

·         A Project Board would meet monthly to monitor the scheme progress.

·         Access to the beach would be improved following the construction of the scheme.

The Chair thanked officers for the report and for the work they had carried out.

PROPOSED by Councillor Barry Mellor, SECONDED by Councillor Alan James

RESOLVED that –

·         That Council confirms that it has considered the content of the Well-being Impact Assessments for each scheme (attached at Appendix 3a and Appendix 3b).

·         That Council supports the proposal to progress the Central Rhyl Coastal Defence scheme to the construction phase, using the grant aid funding model set out by the Welsh Government.  This is subject to Welsh Government approving the Full Business Case and agreeing to provide 85% of the cost of borrowing to fund the scheme.

·         That Council supports the proposal to progress the Central Prestatyn Coastal Defence scheme to the construction phase, using the grant aid funding model set out by the Welsh Government.  This is subject to Welsh Government approving the Full Business Case and agreeing to provide 85% of the cost of borrowing to fund the scheme.

·         That Council delegates authority to the Coastal Defence Project Board to deliver the schemes.