Borth residents are warning of ‘devastating’ storm damage this winter and beyond if Ceredigion County Council doesn’t upgrade run-down sea defences.

Borth Community Council, county councillor Hugh Hughes and village residents have fired a warning to the local authority that property, possessions and livelihoods could be under threat.

Last December, Storm Barra decimated Borth’s supposedly sufficient sea defences leading to significant flooding of the high street in front of Premier Stores, by the golf course and down Cambrian Terrace.

Despite this, the third and final phase of a multi-million-pound upgrade was put on hold in February this year – leaving residents concerned.

They say existing £18 million upgrades have been unable to protect them from floods and that phase three, aimed at protecting the Ynyslas Golf Club and the railway line specifically, is the bare minimum required.

They claim major vulnerabilities also exist due to depleted shingle on the beach in front of Premier Stores, and a complete lack of defences past the lifeboat centre.

Environmental charity Greenpeace UK says the village is at the forefront of the climate emergency with extreme weather events expected to become more serious and frequent along the west coast while sea levels rise.

Phase three is being delayed until environmental regulator Natural Resource Wales (NRW) has completed its reports and a so-called ‘business case’ into the surrounding area – which could take two years, residents fear.

But there is also apprehension about who will be paying for the latest phase, amid reluctance on all sides. The first two phases were paid for by the Welsh Government.

Borth county councillor Hugh Hughes says the council always promised to consult specialist engineers about phrase three but still hasn’t done so.

“Whilst accepting that resources are spread thinly, it is disappointing the delay Borth residents appear to have experienced in obtaining reassurances that perceived weaknesses in the sea defence are being adequately addressed in time to avoid further damage and flooding,” he said.

“From recent discussions with county council officers I am confident that things are being considered seriously and it will result in appropriate consultation with experts and, where deemed necessary, remedial work being carried out.

“Longer term I look forward to seeing phase three being developed.

“Whilst our population may be small, the area we are looking at protecting is of special scientific interest and is therefore worth protecting for future generations.”

The county council’s lead officer for highways and environmental services, Dr Rhodri Llwyd, gave a presentation to a public meeting this year that stated 25 homes, the railways line, the high street and golf course are all at risk.

Included in the three sea defence options being considered by the county council are a ‘setback flood wall’, which would see the construction of a higher wall set back around two metres from the existing defensive line.

It is also looking at ‘managed realignment’, which would see an earth clay embankment constructed immediately seaward of the B4535 road running through the golf course. But this also accepts the eventuality that some residents will need to vacate in the next few decades.

The third option would involve mainly maintenance of existing defences.

Long-term resident James Davies – who has a background in physics and oceanography - said: “Phase three is critical because it would stop flooding from the golf course, leading down the road into Borth - which would be like a military manoeuvre flooding us from behind our defensive line.

“The money spent on the current sea defences, would be wasted if the sea breaks through in Ynyslas.

“The council’s official position is the existing defences will protect us completely – that’s why they stopped giving out sand bags. But it has oversold their ability to protect properties.

“We’ll be getting floods which last two or three days as we get more aggressive weather because of climate change.”

An NRW spokesperson refused to comment on how long it would take for its reports about the area to be completed.

A county council spokesperson said: “In general terms, the work has been paused in order to ensure that any proposed work to provide protection to the coastal frontage is aligned to work that NRW are undertaking in relation to the Tidal Dyfi area, and it is anticipated that the work to develop an Outline Business Case (OBC) for the coastal scheme as required by Welsh Government in order to demonstrate the strategic, economic, commercial, financial and management case for investment and future scheme development, will be completed during 2023.

“There are existing coastal defences along the frontage that CCC continually looks to monitor and manage within the resource and budget that it has available, but ultimately the responsibility for protecting property from flooding will rest with the individual property owner.”

The spokesperson added the works are likely to cost between £8-12million.