Wardens to guide tourists from 'off

Holidaymakers have been reassured most of the beach will remain open this summer

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Much of Rhyl’s two-mile sandy beach will remain open while a major coast defence project takes place at the seaside resort. However sections of the beach will be closed off during the works and marshalls are being deployed to usher people away from construction areas.

Work on the £69 million scheme began in earnest this month and it is not due to be completed until October 2025. Julie James, the Welsh Government’s climate change minister, is due in Rhyl today (Thursday, May 25) to formally press the start button.

The town is keen to send out the message that, despite construction activity, its beach will remain accessible over the next three summer seasons. Already town councillor Keith Jones has fired off requests for extra signage to guide arriving holidaymakers to beach sections that are still open.

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Temporary fencing has been erected along a section of promenade as contractors start work on the structure. Between SeaQuarium and John Street, the prom is now closed until October 2025.

“This is the point, by the kiosks, where most people converge on the beach from the High Street or the Central car park,” said Cllr Jones. “At present all they can see is fencing - there no signs guiding them to part of the beach still open."

Cllr Jones continued: “I’ve been reassured by the council and the contractor these signs are on the way. Hopefully they will be in place by the weekend. With a Bank Holiday next Monday, we are expecting it to be busy.

“The weather forecast is fantastic and sunny Rhyl will be living up to its name. We don’t want people off coming here because they think the beach is closed. Tourism is the lifeblood of this town.”

The Central Rhyl Coastal Defence scheme is being delivered by Balfour Beatty. Last year the company completed the Easy Rhyl coastal defence scheme, with 128,000 tonnes of new rock armour added and the construction of 600 metres of sea walls and promenade.

Earlier this year, the company also won a contract from Denbighshire Council to supply the £28 million Central Prestatyn Coastal Defence scheme, which involves the construction of a 1.6km earth embankment. This began last month and will take around three years to complete.

Is disruption caused by the contruction work a price worth paying? Have you say in the comments below.

For the Central Rhyl scheme, new rock scour protection will be added to its “eastern” or “green” section between Splash Point to Rhyl Events Arena. Here, there will be “localised promenade closures” from March 2023 to March 2024.

Along the scheme’s “western” or “blue” section, a new stepped revetment will be built with a widened promenade and new seawall. As this is the area of greatest construction activity, the prom will be fully closed between SeaQuarium and John Street until October 2025.

Work has begun on new access ramps to the beach. Shortly, contractors will start installing steel sheet piles for the new revetment. As Rhyl beach is tidal, work will be carried out according to the local tide timetable.

The Drift Park play area, on West Parade, closed in March and two prom sections were screened off last month. However businesses on the promenade remain open as usual. No work will take place at weekends or on Bank Holidays.

A Denbighshire Council spokesperson said: “Hoardings, fencing and signage will be used to direct people to the beach near the Shack Café in front of the Rhyl Events Arena. Additional signage will also be installed to direct the public to access the beach to the west of the SC2 business.

“There are marshals currently in place when work is being carried out on the beach. These marshals, on the beach, guide the general public away from the signed-off and cordoned-off construction activity locations. Only areas where construction work is being carried out on the beach is actively closed off to the public.”

The Central Rhyl will help protect nearly 600 residential and non-residential properties at risk from coastal flooding. Rhyl suffered significant flooding 10 years ago and engineers warn the current defences are deteriorating and could fail within the next 10-15 years.

Cllr Jason McLellan, leader of Denbighshire Council, said: “The work going on to regenerate Rhyl is truly exciting and the projects which have already been delivered have vastly improved the town. It is inevitable that work on this scale will create some short-term disruption.

“However Denbighshire County Council is committed to long-term development in Rhyl. Overall, the aim of this huge regeneration project is to invest in the town for the benefit of our residents, businesses and visitors.”

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