LOCATION:
This £6m project involved coastal protection measures to reduce flood risk in the popular holiday destination of Porthcawl. The project helped protect over 500 homes and 170 businesses from coastal flooding.
Unloading rock armour placed to provide vehicle access around the breakwater
Grade II listed western breakwater
Porthcawl is infamous for its coastal storms, which had taken their toll on the integrity of the breakwater.
- Repairs to the Grade II listed Western Breakwater structure, including additional toe protection, a 5m rock armour revetment and concrete repairs. Cintec reinforcement was used to strengthen the breakwater parapet.
- Repairs to the Eastern Promenade, including raising the masonry sea wall to reduce the likelihood of overtopping during storms, resurfacing of the entire length of the promenade, street furniture, planters and lighting.
- Protection works to Rhych Point, involving new rock armour revetments and reinstatement of slipways.
- 285m of dune fencing at the Relict Dunes to protect the sensitive environment and prevent sand being blown onto the coastal path.
Drone footage showing the access track crated around the breakwater and linear work area along the promenade.
Challenge
Porthcawl is an extremely busy and high profile location that attracts visitors in volume. Access to the town centre beach was adjacent to the RNLI lifeboat station and slipway.
Solution
We met weekly with the Porthcawl harbour master to coordinate works with planned harbour activities, ensuring access was maintained to the marina from the Bristol Channel and that pedestrian access was maintained to the lighthouse on the Western Breakwater.
A slipway used by the RNLI was adjacent to the Western Breakwater. A temporary slipway was provided but was not available at the start of the project. We engaged with the RNLI and programmed works to ensure access was maintained and that the slipway could be operational within a 10-minute emergency notice period.
We briefed the supply chain prior to deliveries, providing details of the route to site and a toolbox talk for drivers identifying key risk. Rock armour deliveries had to be directed through Porthcawl to the toe of the breakwater to be unloaded. All deliveries were accompanied by banksmen. Block stone storage areas on the beach were approved by the harbour master and floating buoys were installed for demarcation, as they could pose a danger to boats when submerged.
We appointed a dedicated public liaison officer responsible to engage with neighbours and liaise with businesses, particularly food and drink retailers on the Eastern Promenade. We met regularly with them to ensure we maintained access and were listening to their concerns and those of their customers. Many people were worried the works and pedestrian diversions would impact footfall. We phased works to minimise the area of the promenade that was closed at any one time. We designed pedestrian routes to minimise the impact on footfall, maintain accesses and to reduce the appearance of businesses being closed, collaborating with the businesses to design ‘open as usual’ signage displayed on our hoardings.
Despite the project scope and high-profile location, we received only five complaints, which were personally resolved.
Outcome
The project was delivered on budget in May 2023 and was shortlisted for the BCIA Environmental Project of the Year Award the same year.
