A major new report published by Natural Resources Wales is making 47 recommendations to improve Wales’ resilience to coastal flooding in the future.

The comprehensive assessment was commissioned by the Minister for Natural Resources and Food, Alun Davies, following the coastal storms of last winter – the most severe Wales has experienced for decades.

A report released earlier this year that assessed the damage caused by the storms showed that for the vast majority of the Welsh coastline, the defences and the emergency response performed well.

However, this latest report has identified that the storms of December 2013 and early January 2014 seriously tested the defences, the response and the resilience of Wales’ coastal areas.

The recommendations in the report, compiled with the help of all of Wales’ coastal Local Authorities, are drawn into six priority areas: investment, information, clarity of roles, assessing skills, community support, and developing local plans.

1. Sustained investment in coastal risk management

Investment in flood forecasting, warning, awareness, response and recovery; investment in new flood defences and to maintain existing ones; calls for more certainty on budgets for flood risk management over a longer term.

2. Improved information on coastal flood defence systems

More complete and consistent information on all defences; information on condition, areas they protect and maintenance; to include information on man-made, natural defences and structures where defence is a secondary function i.e. promenades.

3. Greater clarity of roles and responsibilities of agencies and authorities

Better clarity to people and communities of who does what; enable more efficient and effective delivery for communities. 

4. Assessment of skills and capacity

To determine if and where gaps exist in risk management authorities like Local Authorities, Natural Resources Wales, emergency response services etc to improve management of coastal flood and erosions risks.

5. More support to communities to become more resilient

More ‘self-sufficient’ communities in the future; enable communities to respond to flood warnings; enable communities to manage their flood risk in the future with support from relevant agencies.

6. Delivery of locally developed plans for coastal communities

Increased understanding flood risk; enable communities to better adapt to increased risk due to climate change; these plans will be supported nationally and sit alongside Shoreline Management Plans.

Wales is particularly vulnerable to storms and climate change projections indicate that the risk will increase due to more extreme weather in the future.

Commenting on the report, Jeremy Parr, Head of Flooding at Natural Resources Wales, said:

“We hope this report and its recommendations will help agencies, authorities and communities at risk to be even better prepared for when it happens again.  We need to increase Wales’ resilience to coastal flooding and be ready to respond to the challenges it brings, to keep our communities safe.”

The report and its findings will now be considered in detail by Alun Davies, Minister for Natural Resources and Food. Click here to download Wales Coastal Flooding Review Phase 2 Report in full.