Coastal Path Reopening Hopes

A landslide-hit Pembrokeshire coastal path, delayed due to a further landslide, is expected to “God willing” reopen in budget by the start of August, councillors heard.

The coast path between Wiseman’s Bridge and Coppet Hall/Saundersfoot, known as the Tramway, experienced ‘substantial rock falls’ late last year and in January.

The January major fall happened at the Coppet Hall end of this section of path, while the November landslides were closer toward the Wisemans Bridge end of the path.

Pembrokeshire County Council has said that the work to stabilise the cliffs and tunnels so that the path can be re-opened is likely to cost around £600,000.

At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members backed the works, with a hoped-for finish date of the start of the summer holidays.

However, the council recently said those works had now been delayed until early August “as a consequence of additional works required, including the occurrence of another landslip along the path,” with additional remedial works needed.

A question submitted to the July 18 meeting Pembrokeshire County Council, by Cllr Alan Dennison, will ask: “In the Cabinet meeting of March 11, the following was resolved: That the inclusion of the Saundersfoot to Wiseman’s Bridge cycle track cliff stabilisation works (‘the Scheme’) in the capital programme, at a capital cost of £600,000 in 2024-25, be approved, noting that this is a cost to be met by council funds unless external funding is secured to reduce this cost commitment. It is now paused pending further stabilisation works that are required.

“Can the Cabinet member confirm whether the land that has slipped is council owned or private land and if council, what further cuts will have to be made to services to fund the cost to stabilise the cliff?”

Responding, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said that, despite the third rockfall “at no stage has the stabilisation work been paused or suspended”.

He told members the land in the third landslip was privately owned but had been historically maintained by the council, and it was expected the total works were still expected by be within the £600,000 cost; with more than £300,000 in grants already secured, and potentially more expected.

He told members that “God wiling” the pathway was expected to reopen at the start of August.