Wicklow County Council has been approved funding of €243,000 by the Office of Public Works in order to conduct two Coastal Erosion Risk ManagementStudies under the Minor Flood Mitigation Works and Coastal Protection Scheme covering from the start of Brittas Bay to the County Wexford boundary.

The first study includes Brittas Bay and Ennereilly Beach where Malachy Walsh and Co. LTD have been appointed to complete the study. This will include a 12km stretch of an area designated as a Special Area of conservation and a Proposed Natural Heritage Area.

The second study includes Arklow North Beach, Porters Rock Beach, Arklow South Beach and Clogga Strand Beach, where RPS Ireland Ltd have been appointed. The total length of this study area is over 10km and includes Proposed Natural Heritage Areas and rock revetments.

The aim of these studies are to undertake a detailed coastal erosion risk management investigation to develop an appropriate plan to best manage the risks identified to human health and life (social), the environment, cultural heritage and economic activity and to further assess and investigate the feasibility of the management plan. The study will provide information on erosion patterns and will include a condition survey of all coastal protection structures.

Detailed current and future scenario coastal change maps will be ascertained for various timescales including 2030, 2050 and 2100 where a detailed Risk Assessment will be conducted. A feasibility of the preferred option(s) and measure(s) shall be investigated and their selection shall be based on a Multi-Criteria Analysis and Economic Assessment. This information will be used for coastal erosion protection measures where necessary.

Cathaoirleach of Wicklow County Council, Cllr. Paul O’Brien, welcomed the funding and announcement of the study, saying, “Our Climate Action Plan has stated that we can expect an increased frequency and intensity of coastal erosion and having these studies conducted at this time allows Wicklow County Council to consider the most appropriate actions to be taken to protect our coast”.

Chief Executive of Wicklow County Council, Emer O’Gorman commented that: “It is great that the Office of Public Works have provided this funding to Wicklow County Council in order to conduct a Coastal Erosion Risk Management Study in line with the Actions of our Climate Action Plan.  Having these studies conducted will help the council achieve a targeted approach to making our coastline more resilient to climate change”.