Work on £7million Swansea flood defence scheme starts today

WORK on a £7million flood defence scheme starts in Swansea today.

More than 300 businesses and homes will be better protected as a result, said Environment Agency Wales (EAW).

The EAW scheme will reduce the risk of flooding from the River Tawe at several industrial estates, business parks and residential areas.

Swansea Vale, Swansea Enterprise Park, Cwrt Llwyn Fedwyn, Tawe Street and Beaufort and Plasmarl industrial estates will all benefit.

The project aims to reduce flood risk by increasing the river capacity to create more space for water, removing restrictions to river flow and raising low spots along the river banks.

The existing flood embankment will be removed and replaced with a new embankment further away from the river. Some of the land next to the river will be lowered, creating a wetland habitat. A new recreational area will also be developed between the lowered area and new embankment.

Two bridges no longer in use will be removed. The Beaufort footbridge will be replaced with a footbridge at a higher level above the river flood flows. 
A number of paths will be diverted for public safety reasons during the work.

The EAW and Swansea Council are collaborating on the project, which is supported by the European Regional Development Fund and Welsh Government.

Steve Brown, of EAW, said: "Over the course of last summer, we visited 500 businesses in the area to establish their level of knowledge about flood risk and this has helped a significant number draw up their own flood plans.

"This new scheme will help to better protect businesses and residential properties from the prospect of flooding in the area."

The scheme is likely to be completed by late 2013, with further landscaping works taking place in 2014.