Wednesday 4 November 2015

Freshwater West

FROM PCC
The Shoreline Management Plan covering this part of the Pembrokeshire Coast defines the high level management policies for each of the management units around the coastline.  These plans are prepared by the relevant coastal groups, comprising local authority and representatives from the key statutory bodies.

The B4319 at Freshwater West is specifically referred to in the Lavernock Point to St Ann’s Head SMP2, ref: the policy statement on St Govan’s Head to Thorn Island.

The policy statement contains an action plan for Frainslake Sands and Freshwater West.  As part of the action plan, a study needs to be produced in the next 20 years, on the ‘long-term sustainable management strategy for the area in response to a range of future climate change scenarios and in liaison with all key stake holders’.  The report continues: ‘This will involve developing management objectives and triggers for intervention and the development and assessment of alternative options to identify the best approach to deliver the managed realignment policy’.  A decision would also need to be made regarding the future of the local B4319 access road, which may become unsustainable or detrimental to the natural dune evolution over time’.

The study would be produced by Pembrokeshire County Council with input from key stakeholders including Natural Resources Wales and the National Trust.

The County Council will monitor shoreline management issues at Freshwater West, but its current priority is the shingle bank at Newgale, which is unlikely to remain sustainable in its present form for more than 10 – 20 years and is currently the subject of public consultation.

We do not have any plans at present to abandon the B4319 road and bridge at Freshwater West, and will continue to maintain them.  The study referred to above will be undertaken at some point in the future and will look into the sustainability of the road in line with the SMP policy for this length of coastline which is ‘Managed Realignment’.

I hope the above clarifies the current situation.

Yours sincerely

DARREN THOMAS
HEAD OF HIGHWAY & CONSTRUCTION
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL
01437 775892
NOTE THIS IS NOT NECESSARY UNTIL 2107 THE NATIONAL TRUST MUST NOW REPLACE AND MAINTAIN THE DEMOLISHED LISTED DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND PCNP MUST ENFORCE  LEGAL ACTION AGAINST THE WILFUL DESTRUCTION OF A LISTED STRUCTURE IN THEIR CARE BY THE NATIONAL TRUST

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