Aberaeron’s near-£32m flood defence scheme has been praised by Deputy First Minister with responsibility for Climate Change, Huw Irranca-Davies, during a visit to see ongoing works which are expected to be completed next year.

The £31.59m Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme is funded through a £26.85m contribution from the Welsh Government’s Coastal Risk Management Programme, together with a £4.74m contribution from Ceredigion County Council.

The scheme includes the construction of a rock breakwater extending out from North Pier, refurbishment and re-building of pier head of South Pier, construction of flood walls, construction of flood gate at Pwll Cam inner harbour and improvements to the existing defences on South Beach.

The scheme itself was approved at the February 2023 meeting of Ceredigion County Council’s Development Management Committee, with BAM Nuttall Ltd the construction contractors.

Speaking from Aberaeron, the Deputy First Minister said: “The scale of the work here in Aberaeron is a real eye opener - and is essential for Aberaeron and its community to be protected for generations to come.

“I am incredibly grateful to the community for their patience during the construction of this scheme. This is a huge civil engineering project occurring within a historic town.

“The scheme is being delivered at pace, and we look forward to the work completing next year.”

The project also shows how flood defence schemes can support green job creation. The construction company, BAM have met with local school pupils to help pupils understand and realise their potential in becoming the civil engineers of the future and to learn about and how civil engineers can work with communities to design engineering solutions.

In updating the Senedd recently on the work underway to prepare for winter, the Deputy First Minister, said: “I am keenly aware of how devastating the impacts of flooding can be, on homes, livelihoods and people’s lives.

“I understand how worried some people are about the safety of their homes and businesses as winter approaches.

“That’s why safeguarding our communities from the catastrophic results of flooding and coastal erosion is of utmost importance to me in this role, and for this Government.

“We are committed to delivering effective support on the ground, that will protect our communities from the threats of climate change.”

Natural Resources Wales is the lead authority for managing flood risk from main rivers and the sea in Wales and has recently launched the Be Flood Ready awareness campaign, aimed at providing essential advice about what people should do if they live in an area at risk of flooding.

The Deputy First Minister concluded: “We must all remain vigilant to the risks of flooding throughout the year and the public play a vital role in keeping communities safe. By sharing information and experiences with our neighbours, we can strengthen our support networks and help one another be prepared.

“Together, we can build more resilient communities across Wales, capable of withstanding the challenges posed by flooding, adverse weather and climate change.”

Works to protect Aberaeron from coastal flooding have previously included 2009 works at North Beach which had a significant benefit in protecting the north-western part of the town from overtopping flood risk from the sea, but only addressed part of the flood risk problem.

Storms in December 2013, January 2014 and October 2017 led to the closure of Quay Parade and overtopping of the current defences within the harbour and South Beach.