THE Welsh Government have pledged to shore up Cardigan’s flooding blackspots as part of their financial commitment to strengthen coastal defences.

Minister for Environment Lesley Griffiths has outlined a range of projects that will be supported over the forthcoming year as part of Cardiff Bay’s Flood and Coastal Risk Management Programme for 2021-22.

And that will include developing design work ahead of potential future defence construction at the Strand in Cardigan as well as St Mary Street; both areas having been historically liable to tidal flooding in the past.

The move has been welcomed by Clare Pillman, Chief Executive of Natural Resources Wales, who said that taking ‘bold action’ in the approach to flood risk management was Wales’ only option.

She also underlined the need for further urgent interventions and the embedding of a mix of flood risk management approaches to improve Wales’ resilience to the impacts of the climate emergency.

“Investing in and maintaining hard defences will always be at the heart of Wales’ approach to managing flood risk, and we welcome this commitment from the Welsh Government to improve defences and to support flood risk projects,” she said.

“But while defences reduce the risk of flooding for thousands of homes across the country, they cannot protect everyone all the time.

“The growing frequency and ferocity of storms stimulated by climate change mean that there is no silver bullet, and we have limited time to take the steps needed to adapt to its future impacts.

“Our only option is to start taking bold action now.”