Money is being pumped into Ceredigion in a bid to alleviate flooding fears from the county’s seas and rivers with a report warning that, left unchecked, the county’s residents could face ‘life-threatening or life changing consequences’.

Schemes across the county have been handed funding to investigate ways to halt the threat of flooding as climate change makes such events more and more frequent, members of Ceredigion County Council’s Thriving Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee heard on Thursday.

While Ceredigion County Council pushes ahead with schemes, some are being hampered by delays.­

A scheme for Borth Leat has been pushed back after the company brought in to conduct an investigation into what was needed, Amey Ltd, had their contract cancelled by Ceredigion County Council over a lack of progress.

A new company will be appointed to undertake the business case for that project.

In Borth, where phases one and two of a mammoth sea defence project have already been completed, phase three of extra works have been put back after Natural Resources Wales began their own business case for the area and failed to meet a completion target.

Ceredigion council said it is ‘pursuing NRW to accelerate the completion’.

Thousands of pounds have been made available to Ceredigion to pursue business cases for projects throughout the county, with plans at varying stages of completion.

Millions of pounds have been allocated to large scale schemes in Aberaeron and Borth, while big plans for Aberystwyth have been delayed, with a consultation set to begin this year on a revised scheme flowing an £11 million project not getting off the ground three years ago.

Aberaeron Coastal Defence Scheme

Planning permission has been approved, with the tender assessment process complete.

Construction documents and drawings are being finalised.

Aberystwyth Coastal Defence Scheme

An ecological assessment has been completed, but geomorphology, breakwater optioneering, a geotechnical study, landscape assessment, and breakwater modelling have not.

Borth Coastal Defence Scheme

Completed phases 1 and 2 are performing as expected but there are individual locations of concern that warrant further investigation as part of the monitoring programme.

Natural Resources Wales is working on its own case for the Dyfi and Leri, with the council’s plan suspended while NRW catches up.

Ceredigion council is pursuing NRW to accelerate completion.

Borth Leat

Amey Ltd was appointed in September to undertake an Outline Business case to assess the drainage and flooding mechanisms of the various drainage leats that manage surface water from catchments that flow from Upper Borth.

A start-up meeting and scope agreement has been undertaken with Amey Ltd, however, progress has not been forthcoming and a decision to terminate the contract has been made.

Llandre Village Flood Alleviation

Atkins was appointed consultants to undertake an Outline Business Case assessment of the flooding issues that have been reported to the north of the village.

Atkins to date has modelled the flows of surface water and are awaiting survey data from Network Rail to be able to complete the OBC work.

Capel Bangor

Consultants WSP have been appointed to undertake a review of the Preliminary Assessment Report that was undertaken in 2015 following the 2012 floods.

The business case that is being carried out has completed the modelling and requires NRW to review and appraise the modelling before design solutions can be progressed for recommendation.

Talybont

WSP has been appointed to undertake a review of the Preliminary Assessment Report that was undertaken in 2015 following the 2012 floods to bring it in line with revised WG project assessment requirements and update the data.

The business case that is being carried out has completed the modelling and requires NRW to review and appraise the modelling before design solutions can be progressed for recommendation.

Llangrannog Coastal Defence Scheme

Work has begun on planning for the public consultation this year.

Highmead Terrace/Llanybydder & Llandysul/Pont Tyweli

Ceredigion and Carmarthenshire have been and continue to develop the business case, with Welsh Government grant funding required for specialist consultancy work.

A report put before members said: “Climate change means we may face more frequent or severe weather events like flooding, droughts, and storms.

“These events bring physical risks that directly impact communities and have the potential to affect the economy.

“Parts of Ceredigion’s coastline are susceptible to coastal erosion and flooding, and some inland communities are at risk of fluvial flooding and loss of land from watercourses.

“The impacts could be far reaching, with stakeholders facing life-threatening or life changing consequences, and the effects impacting on large sectors of the county and the council.”

Ceredigion County Council developed its second Shoreline Management Plan in 2012, which found the “risk of flooding and erosion is a significant threat affecting the coastline and communities along the Ceredigion coast”.

The report adds: “Coastal erosion and flood incidents have been identified on the Corporate Risk Register as one of the major risks facing our residents, communities and major infrastructure in the face of climate change and the predicted increase in storm events.

“The council works with the Welsh Government to reduce the risk to people and the developed and natural environment from flooding and coastal erosion.”

Planning for the multi-million pound defences at Aberaeron were approved earlier this year – a scheme that is slated to protect hundreds of homes and businesses.

Funding from the Welsh Government has been secured to continue with the development of the Outline Business Case for the Aberystwyth coastal frontage, with the business case “expected to be completed and consulted upon this year”, the council said.

Overall, the planned schemes in Ceredigion – if all are completed – will protect more than 1,000 homes and businesses from flooding, the council report says.