MUMBLES COASTAL PROTECTION SCHEME
WELCOME TO
MUMBLES COASTAL PROTECTION SCHEME
The Mumbles Coastal Protection scheme aims to protect the community against coastal flooding and rising tides and will remodel the prom as a safe, modern, inclusive visitor attraction.
Swansea Council recently secured funding under the Welsh Government’s Coastal Risk Management Programme to undertake essential Coastal Protection works to a section of the existing sea defences at Mumbles promenade. The improvement works will afford enhanced flood and coastal erosion protection to businesses and residential properties currently at long-term risk of flooding. The protection works will be undertaken from Knab Rock to a point approximately 250m north of Oystermouth Square.
Knights Brown has been appointed as the contractor to undertake the work, which is currently planned to commence in January 2023 and be completed over approximately 80 weeks.
The project, driven by Swansea Council, will help protect the community’s homes, businesses and people for decades to come. It also aims to improve Mumbles as a destination, with new lighting, litter bins, seating and better links to Mumbles Road.
JOIN US...
NOVEMBER 30 | 1:00 - 3:00
VICTORIA HALL, MUMBLES
We would like to invite you to join us at our latest information-sharing session for the
Mumbles Coastal Protection Scheme
It is a brilliant opportunity to meet the team and ask any questions you may have about the project.
PROJECT OVERVIEW
Mumbles is currently protected by two types of coastal defences; a 0.5km-long mass concrete vertical sea wall that runs from Oystermouth Square to the bowling green area and a 0.7km sloping revetment structure that runs from the bowling green area to near Verdi's.
Some of these existing defences were built over a century ago and are in poor condition and at risk of flooding. The flood risk level is expected to increase in the future due to predicted sea level rises. A lack of action would put a number of homes and businesses at risk of flooding. The main aim of this project is to strengthen the sea wall and raise the heights of key parts of it to protect the area from future flooding.
The project will combine enhanced coastal defences with improvements to the Promenade right next to the main seawall.
The main areas of work will include:
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bringing the prom up to one level as it currently dips gradually from both ends (Verdis and Oyster Wharf) by up to around half a metre in the middle section
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strengthening the main coastal defence structure, main wall and revetment.
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replace existing railings with a low pedestrian wall similar to that currently at the Oystermouth Square car park.
Work will include widening the existing promenade to create a share with care pedestrian footpath and cycleway. This will improve connectivity and accessibility and promote sustainable active travel. Other public realm improvements include improved seating, views and connectivity, with enhanced hard and soft landscaping.
Work will see parts of the prom closed to the public in a phased manner throughout the work, expected to take around 18 months.
Access to homes and businesses will remain throughout.
LATEST INFORMATION
October Progress Flight
October Update
It has been a busy month for our site team as work has continued along the foreshore and on the promenade.
We’ve been hard at work constructing the stepped bases on the foreshore, and to date, 32 stepped bases have been cast within the section by Oystermouth Car Park. Work will continue on the remaining stepped bases during the winter months.
Construction work has also started on the wall sections that contain weep holes cored through the existing sea wall; these holes will allow residual groundwater to pass through the new works. Once we have completed the step sections in that location they will be backfilled and we will commence concrete pours to construct the sea walls.
We have started reinforcing the revetment between the tennis courts and Southend Slipway. So far, we have completed half a dozen lower concrete pours. These works are being completed around the tides. On the Promenade, we have completed a 75m stretch of secondary stone flood wall from the Oyster House hotel up to the end of Promenade Terrace. We are currently working on the stone planters and seating areas in front of Prezzo, aiming to complete the work during the winter months
when footfall is lower. These works will continue for the next 3-4 weeks and are weather-dependent. While these works are being undertaken, there will be a localised pedestrian diversion past the Oyster House Hotel area. Signage and lights have been erected to ensure the safety of pedestrians. Cyclists are required to dismount through the diverted area.
PROGRESS FLIGHT
AUGUST 2023
LATEST IMAGES - JUNE 2023
CONSTRUCTION UPDATE: 28.06.23
All sheet piles for the project have now been received and placed on the beach in preparation for installation. During our works, we have uncovered some archaeological finds, which have led to a two-week delay to ensure additional archaeological investigations could be undertaken. We have uncovered some intriguing discoveries, including a prehistoric piece of worked wood that will be further studied at Lampeter University. We believe this wood may be approximately 3500 years old.
At the current North end of the project, we have commenced demolishing the top of the wall and have set up pumps along the promenade to excavate Wall Type A and Wall Type C at the bowling green. We have already excavated about 50 meters and have placed a drainage layer for the stepped concrete base. Within this section, we have encountered a high rockhead presence, and as a result, we will not be installing sheet piles in this area.
Reinforcement material has been delivered to the site, and we are eager to begin working on the reinforced concrete bases at the North end of the project.
Work has also begun on excavating and constructing the secondary defence walls; this has resulted in the closure of a section of the promenade by Promenade Terrace adjacent to the bowling green and tennis courts. Once the reinforced concrete base is in place, we will commence masonry work using limestone that matches the existing walls in the area.
LATEST IMAGES - MAY 2023
We are currently delivering and installing steel sheet piles which will be installed on the beach to prevent undermining of the new reinforced concrete sea wall and Revetment.
The piles will be installed from the North tie-in near Mumtaz along the full length of the scheme
over the next 4-6 weeks. The piles vary in length from 2.4m (8ft) to 6.3m (21ft) depending on the underlying geology.
This will be done in 2 stages, with the sheets positioned and secured initially, and then a secondary drive to their final level between 1.2m(4ft) and 2.1m (7ft) below beach level. These are being installed by a special excavator attachment called a ‘Movax’ sidegrip pile driver.
Over the 1.2km length of the scheme there will be approximately 6000 linear metres of sheet piles, weighing approx. 1000t. We have already accepted delivery of 650 tonnes of the sheet piles which are
mobilised to Mumbles outside busy periods to minimise any traffic disruption.
