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AN artificial reef that could turn Borth into a surfers’ paradise is a step closer after Ceredigion County Council agreed to an in-depth £100,000 study.

The reef, which would become the first in Wales and one of the first in Britain, would make up part of Borth’s coastal protection as well as providing improved surfing conditions.

Two options for coast protection are being considered. It is a choice between the artificial reef with rock breakwaters and groynes, or just breakwaters and groynes.

The reef scheme would see large bags of sand lowered into optimum areas of the sea around 250 metres from the shore.

The bags would reduce the strength of waves before they reach the shore and would prove ideal surfing waves.

Consultants Posford Haskoning have been awarded a contract by the council’s Cabinet to undertake an option development study.

That study will look in-depth at the proposal for the reef and will look at how effective it will be in protecting Borth, the arrangement and size of all the construction elements and the cost and benefits of the scheme.

And Borth county councillor, Ray Quant, said he was delighted with the news that the scheme was progressing.

He said: “This hasn’t been plain sailing. There has been a lot of people who have said this will not work, but now they have accepted that it will.

“It has been accepted that the reef can be used for coastal protection as well as the recreational side.”

The reef would be constructed and placed by ASR Limited, a company which specialises in producing and siting artificial reefs.

Cllr Quant said that ASR had worked on 18 reefs around the world, and had won an award for a reef in California.

He said: “It is kudos for us in Borth to get them here. This would be the first reef of its kind in Wales.

“New Quay in Cornwall and Bournemouth are looking at getting similar reefs. I get e-mails from people down there asking how we are getting along with the reef up here. They are using us as a sounding board for this.”

Garfield Williams, the highways department assistant director, said: “This work will form the basis for a further interactive dialogue with Borth community with a view to making a firm recommendation to the Welsh Assembly Government of the preferred option for Borth.”

The council’s Cabinet agreed to back the plans for the study. The council will try to win funding from the National Assembly to pay for the study.

Copyright Tindle Newspapers Ltd 10 November 04

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