Despite complaints of design flaws, a near £5m overspend, and continual remedial works to fix shingle issues, Ceredigion County Council has labelled the multi-million pound Aberaeron sea defence scheme a “success” and the breakwater positioning “effective and correct.”

Marking its own homework in a report put before the council’s Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 16 June, a Ceredigion County Council report says the Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme – completed last year – has been a “success”.

On the much-maligned and complained about breakwater – which has seen shingle collect, producing huge banks that need to be cleared away – the council report says there is “evidence that the breakwater’s position on the north side of the harbour entrance, together with its ‘hockey-stick’ shape, is correct and effective.”

The sea defence scheme was completed in September last year after work to start the project was delayed until December 2023, five months after BAM Nuttall Ltd were handed the contract to construct it.

Ceredigion council approved a £31.59m cost for the scheme, with £26.85m coming from the Welsh Government to help fund the project.

The project ended up costing just over £4m more than budgeted due to “unforeseen ground conditions, third-party constraints and design development” during construction.

The final cost of the project – built with more than 120,000 tonnes of rock - ended up at just short of £35.6m.

It left Ceredigion council shelling out extra millions to complete the project, the report shows, while the Cambrian News revealed last week that the council is continuing to pay out £15,000 every time it needs to clear shingle accumulated on the breakwater.

On completion, the large breakwater quickly became a scoop for the debris of the sea floor, catching the shingle, silt and sand pushed up by the typical south-to-north longshore drift.

It created a growing shingle bank in the harbour entrance, making it “impassable” to all but dinghies, according to harbour users.

Ceredigion council has already dredged the newly narrowed harbour entrance twice since work was completed.

While the council told the Cambrian News that it is “working with our engineering partners to assess long-term options”, they didn’t share what those options might be or how much it may cost the taxpayer.

A spokesperson for the council said sediment build-up was predicted at the design stage, but that any intervention needed to be done after the new features were allowed time to settle.

In the report to be put before members, despite the criticism, over-spend and design flaws, the project has been a “success” that will protect hundreds of homes from flooding.

“The Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme has delivered its primary purpose of significantly reducing coastal flood and erosion risk to Aberaeron and improving the town’s long-term resilience to climate change,” the council report said.

“It has also delivered against the Critical Success Factors and the Investment Objectives agreed for the scheme.

“The project was complex to deliver in a constrained coastal environment and experienced challenges including unforeseen ground conditions, third-party constraints and design development, which contributed to programme delays and additional costs.

“The scheme is now operational and is already demonstrating benefits by reducing overtopping and flood risk, supporting wider place-making and visitor benefits through improved public realm and the new breakwater walkway, and meeting the scheme’s identified Investment Objectives and Critical Success Factors.

“A small number of post-completion matters, including beach and shingle management and completion of the remaining third-party agreements, are being actively managed and will be reported through normal governance arrangements as they are resolved.”

The report says that other ongoing work includes the “reprofiling of South Beach while the beach material consolidates and compacts over time”, and “confirmation of design queries with the design consultant and agreement of any longer-term remedial actions, including any consenting requirements.”

“The scheme as a whole has been a success, with the design of the coastal defence structures maintaining an effective visual and physical connection between the town centre and the harbour whilst significantly improving Aberaeron’s resilience against coastal flood events,” the council report said.

The council report said that the scheme “has already provided tangible and evidenced flood protection” to Aberaeron.

The council said the scheme “reduces uncertainties about flood risk and allows investment in the town” while “providing a long-term sustainable solution” to flooding issues in Aberaeron.

“The breakwater has significantly reduced the wave and swell action entering the harbour and reduced the peak water levels seen along Quay Parade,” the council report said.

“This has been particularly noticeable during rough seas with high onshore winds when prior to the scheme waves would have been very visible.

“The Quay Parade flood gates have already been effective in protecting properties when overtopping of the quayside has occurred, albeit the incidence of overtopping has been reduced significantly as a result of the breakwater dissipating wave energy.”

The council said that in the 245 days between the project completion and 8 June, more than 82,000 pedestrians have been recorded accessing the breakwater “with anecdotal reports of visitors coming to Aberaeron specifically to see the completed scheme and walk along the breakwater, including many older people taking more frequent walks on the new flat surface.”

The council report says: “The Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme achieved practical completion on 30 September 2025 and is now providing an improved standard of protection to Aberaeron against coastal flooding and erosion.

“The scheme provides a higher standard of protection than the previous defences and has already reduced overtopping and flood risk during named storm events in late 2025 and early 2026.

“The project experienced delivery challenges, resulting in delays and cost pressures.

“There are a small number of post-completion issues to resolve, including beach/shingle movement, harbour channel maintenance requirements and outstanding party wall matters.

“These are being managed through the project’s governance and risk management arrangements.

“Overall, the investment objectives set out in the approved business case are considered to have been achieved, alongside wider place-making benefits for residents, businesses and visitors.”

The council report said that the completed construction works are “now providing a 1 in 200-year design return period for wave overtopping, and a 1 in 1,000-year standard of protection against extreme sea levels for the design life of the scheme.”

“This means that Aberaeron is now protected until 2121 against a 1 in 200-year wave event and a 1 in 1,000-year sea level event,” the report added.

“The scheme has now reduced flood risk to approximately 168 residential and non-residential properties in Aberaeron.”