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Planning Advice Note PAN 69
Planning and Building Standards Advice on Flooding
CASE STUDY 4
LLANDOVERY, SOUTH WEST WALES: Flood prevention scheme
Soft and hard defences including minor river re-alignment
Llandovery is situated in rural Carmarthenshire approximately 50km to the north-east of the county town of Carmarthen. It is a market town which has developed on the flood plains of four rivers - the Tywi, Brân, Gwydderig and Bawddwr. The A40 and A483 trunk roads, as well as the A4069, all cross these rivers at this strategic location.
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Flood defence measures, Llandovery. (Photo courtesy of Environment Agency.) |
The town has a history of flooding. Significant recent floods occurred in December 1979, October 1987 and October 1998, during which many residents were displaced from their homes, traffic was disrupted and extensive flood damage occurred.
Following the October 1998 flood event, a Flood Local Action Group was established within the community to ensure effective communication with affected residents. At the same time the South West Wales Local Flood Defence Committee funded a feasibility study to look at options to improve the town's flood defences. The study concluded that a cost-effective flood alleviation project could be promoted which would reduce the probability of flooding down to 1% in any year (1:100).
The scheme, which was completed in 2003, included re-alignment of the river channel upstream of main road bridge, bank protection and the construction of flood embankments and flood walls. The Environment Agency's National Capital Project Management Service undertook project management of the scheme, appointing engineers to design the scheme and another firm of contractors to carry out construction. A separate firm were employed to project manage construction work on the site.
Swan Bridge, which carries the A40 trunk road over the Brân, needed replacement to meet new trunk road standards for bridges. The Environment Agency and the Welsh Assembly Government's highways directorate worked closely to find the best design for the loads it has to carry and potential floodwater. The bridge deck was raised by 900mm to provide extra flood capacity. This work was completed just before work started on the flood alleviation scheme.
The funding for the defences was provided by a partnership of the Welsh Assembly Government (631,000), European Union through Objective One funding (470,000), South West Wales Local Flood Defence Committee (375,000) and Carmarthen County Council Social Care and Housing (150,000).
For more information contact Environment Agency Wales, tel 01437 760081.
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