This Planning Report has recently appeared on the Council's website:
http://modgoveng.conwy.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=20478It deals with the proposals to construct new sea defences from Rhos On Sea to Old Colwyn. Both the Consultants and Public opinion agreed that 'beach recharge' was the preferred option - this is where sand is dumped on the beach to raise the levels and rock structures built on the beach to hold it in place. This is the most expensive option (at £28m, it is £9m more expensive than the cheapest option), but also the most attractive and would help the revival of the Prom area immensely.
Basically, they are trying now to push the option of linear rock revetment - that is, dumping a 20m deep pile of large boulders right along the beach from Rhos to Old Colwyn - the height of these boulders would be 1.2m above the Prom level and the retaining wall 2.1m (6.8feet) above prom level. So, for the entire length of the Prom, there would be no views of the sea or beach from the prom, just a 6.8 feet high concrete wall where the current metal railings now run along the Prom.
This is absolutely shocking and must not go ahead...
"The development of these works however is set against a context of ongoing pressure to
adopt a form of coastal defence which would reflect the cheapest construction cost (linear
rock revetment) across the entire frontage which, based on the results of the strategy
development and the public consultation, would compromise ongoing efforts to regenerate
the town’s economy and deliver an attractive and usable public realm along the promenade
with effective links to the amenity beach areas.""The physical modelling exercise identified that the crest of the linear rock revetment would
need to be approximately 1.2m above the level of the existing promenade with a further 1m
recurved concrete wall behind the crest of the revetment. The front slope of the revetment
would be at 1 in 3 resulting in a width of revetment of circa 20m."