Coastal flood prevention system to be highlighted

New signage is set to be rolled out to better highlight the Council’s coastal flood gate system.

Denbighshire County Council’s Flood Risk Prevention Team are installing new signage on flood gates from Rhyl to Prestatyn to help the public understand the role of the system.

The coastal flood gates along the Prestatyn and Rhyl defence scheme are used to seal the areas of the sea defences that are lower to allow for public access to our beaches.

The gates act as temporary, movable shields that are designed to block the flow of water from storm surges, high tides and flood waters from impacting on vulnerable coastal homes, businesses and infrastructure which lie behind the wider flood defence.

Some of Denbighshire’s coastal flood gates are closed over the winter months due to the higher risk of adverse weather. However, other flood gates on the coast are only closed due to incoming storm events that may impact communities in Rhyl and Prestatyn near the sea.’

The Council also operates a permanently closed flood gate at the Events Arena Rhyl, which can be opened for emergency access to the prom.

The flood risk team has developed the new signage to help local residents and visitors understand the function of the gates to better support people accessing the promenade which will be going up in the next month.

Councillor Barry Mellor, Lead Member for Environment and Transport said: “We wanted to make it much clearer for residents living near the coastal area and visitors to Rhyl and Prestatyn about how our flood gate system operates as we know there have been questions on why some are closed for a number of months.

“This new signage when installed will hopefully help those living near the coast or residents and visitors who come to use the prom between Rhyl and Prestatyn better understand the function of the gates and help them to plan ahead whilst walking near the coastline.”

Further information on the flood gates system will be published this summer on the Denbighshire County Council website. For more information on flood risk information visit here.