Calls for Saundersfoot to be proactive to protect against future coastal erosion

A Saundersfoot county councillor has called for the Local Authority and the community to be proactive in protecting parts of the seaside village from future coastal erosion.
Saundersfoot Community Council recently hosted a ‘Sustainable Communities’ public meeting in collaboration with Pembrokeshire County Council, with the aim to raise awareness about the challenges the seaside village will face in the future and to consider what actions may be possible to combat rising sea levels.
County councillor for the seaside village’s south ward, Cllr Chris Williams said that discussions centred around challenges that not only Saundersfoot faced, but other coastal areas affected in Pembrokeshire.
“The talk was designed to give as much information possible to the residents and business owners on The Strand and surrounding area,” he said.
“It was designed to engage with communities to develop resilience and adaptation plans.
“We all agree that management for the coast is complicated, with so many organisations and owners along with PCC who all have a vested interest on the main beach backing onto The Strand.
“We are also aware of the rising sea levels and its only right that we discuss this locally to look at ways on how we as a community can work together to define priorities, actions and a working group to look at procedures to protect this infrastructure.
“The economic and social contribution of these properties on The Strand, to the community needs to be fully considered. At a rough count it has around a dozen full time residential properties, a pub, a couple of cafes/restaurants and a dozen shops; along with a considerable number of commercial holiday lets and second homes.
“I feel that we need to be discussing this now to plan ahead. We don’t want to be thinking we have plenty of time, so that we can discuss this in twenty years.
“It’s also very important that residents and visitors know that that the pebble bank in front of the properties aren’t natural to this coastline. They have been brought in as ballast from the ships picking up coal in the 1970s.
“South Pembrokeshire district council distributed the stones to protect the properties. The pebbles are there as a sea defence for the properties on the Strand,” continued Cllr Williams, adding that it would be worthwhile to set up a small working group to look at possible alternative schemes which could include, replenishment of the sea defences.