Colwyn Bay
In 2011 a £6m coastal defence scheme is being constructed in Colwyn Bay. The following changes have been made to the existing coastal defence scheme:
- Construction of rock armour revetment and groyne using 80,000 tonnes of imported materials
- Demolition of the existing wall and promenade
- Construction of a raised promenade including road, cycleway and car parking tying in with the new sea wall
- Construction of several reinforced concrete retaining walls
- Construction of pre-cast concrete steps and a stepped revetment
- Construction of new slipway
- Construction of piped culverts and associated headwalls
URBANE research on habitat enhancement
The URBANE team have been working with Conwy Council, the Seacams partnership and RPC Concrete Solutions to incorporate large-scale pre-cast habitat enhancement units called “BIOBLOCKS” into the new coastal defence scheme at Colwyn Bay, North Wales.
The BIOBLOCK was deployed in February 2012. It weighs approximately 6 tonnes with dimensions of 1.5 x 1.5 x 1.1 m.
A variety of habitat types were incorporated into the BIOBLOCK during the casting process including rock pools of varying diameters and depths on the horizontal surface, pits of varying depth on two of the vertical sides and longitudinal crevices on the other two vertical sides.
The BIOBLOCK. Note the rock pools on the top and the pits and ledges on the vertical sides. Photo D. Roberts |
The BIOBLOCK. Image showing details of the pits on the vertical face. Photo D. Roberts |
The BIOBLOCK following deployment in the groyne. Photo D. Roberts |
The BIOBLOCK approximately nine months following deployment. Photo L. Firth |
