9. What action is the Welsh Government taking to improve the sea defences at Old Colwyn? (OAQ51007)

Thank you. The Welsh Government is working closely with Conwy council on coast protection. We have supported appraisal work covering the whole Colwyn Bay waterfront and to date we’ve funded £26 million of improvements there. We are in discussion with the council on their plans for further work at Colwyn Bay.

I’m very grateful for the investment that has gone into Colwyn Bay over the years in terms of affording that particular part of the coastline with greater levels of flood protection, but we’ve seen the damage that flooding from the sea can do when we look over the Atlantic as a result of those terrible storms that have wreaked havoc in the Caribbean and in the United States of America, and I don’t want a similar situation to happen here in north Wales, in Old Colwyn. You know that the waterfront there has flood defences that protect vital parts of the north Wales transport infrastructure. They’ve gone unattended to for far too long. There have been patchwork repairs that have been done over the years and we need some action in order to bring them up to scratch. What confidence do you have that we will see a plan and that we will see some work started on significant improvements on the Old Colwyn promenade within the next two years?

Well, I think the Member questioned me on this probably at the end of last year and I think I told you then what I’m going to tell you now: we’re still waiting for Conwy council to come up with a proposal that identifies a partnership approach that they want to Old Colwyn and, indeed, to Colwyn Bay. I do know the council are having a meeting, I think next month, with partners such as Network Rail, because you mentioned the transport infrastructure alongside the A55, I think the trunk road agency and also, obviously, Welsh Government officials. So, I know they’ve been asked to prepare a report for me following that meeting.