Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 2 Regional Seascape Unit Point of Ayr to Colwyn Bay Name: Urban spread and main transport corridor at Colwyn Bay (Photo © John Briggs) Coastal defences between Abergele and Llanddulas (Photo © John Briggs) Point of Ayr Lighthouse (Photo © John Briggs) 1 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments No: 2 Regional Seascape Unit Point of Ayr to Colwyn Bay Name: Seascape Types: TSLR, TSLU, THLU Key Characteristics A low lying, linear coast with sandy beaches, backed by an alluvial coastal plain and steep sided limestone hills, which reach the coast near Colwyn Bay. Beaches are backed by dunes in the eastern section. Low-lying land protected is by coastal defences, with extensive hard promenades at Prestatyn, Rhyl and Colwyn Bay. The area is highly developed for tourism uses in linear developments of urban character including Rhyl, Prestatyn, Towyn, Kimnel Bay, Abergele and Llanddulas, with associated large-scale caravan parks. Colwyn Bay has a more refined, formal, seaside resort character. Pastoral agriculture is set back from the coast. The coastline is open to the north, with a large offshore wind farm located 6 km offshore from Prestatyn (North Hoyle) and another under construction off Colwyn Bay (Rhyl Flats). The Douglas oil and gas platform is located 24km offshore, sometimes seen with a flare. Views from the North Wales Path, Colwyn Bay and associated settlements promenade and seafront buildings. Views also from A55 Expressway. Key cultural associations: the C19th and C20th development of this area for holidaymaking and leisure, focussed on the coastline. Physical Geology The greater part of the area is Carboniferous or Triassic rocks with sandstone lithology and Characteristics with some limestone to the west. Alluvial and windblown sand deposits lie along the coast with boulder clay inland. Coastal landform A north facing, low lying, linear coast backed by a coastal plain, which curves northward towards the west at Colwyn Bay with steep sided hills reaching the coast. Sandy beaches are backed by dunes in places and low-lying pasture protected by a bunding and sea defences. At Rhyl and Prestatyn the coastal edge is hard with promenades and groynes. This generally soft coastline is notable for having almost its entire length protected with coastal defences. The only remaining area of active dunes lies east of Prestatyn. Coastal landcover The coast has much tourism based development, including seaside resort towns and large- scale caravan parks. There has been little mitigation or interruption to the spread of development along the coast, leaving just a few short stretches undeveloped, notably Gronant Dunes. Cafés, bars, shops and amusement arcades form the focus of seafront development, together with residential flats. There are extensive caravan sites behind sea defences in other places. There is a golf course at Abergele. In addition there are industrial structures associated with quarries. Colwyn Bay has a more refined, Victorian seaside resort character, including a formal promenade and a (derelict) pier. An old lighthouse is located on the beach at the Point of Ayr. Intertidal area Large, gently shelving, predominantly sandy beaches with river mud at the mouths of rivers. There are also sections with shingle, rock armour and many groynes. Characteristics of sea The coastline is open to the north, with a large offshore wind farm located 6 km offshore from Prestatyn (North Hoyle) and another under construction off Colwyn Bay (Rhyl Flats). The Douglas oil and gas platform is located 24km offshore, sometimes seen with a flare. Hinterland landform The mouth of the Vale of Clwyd opens out in the central section, forming a large flat plain. Behind the plain, hills rise to around 200m AOD to the east (the Clwydian Range) and to around 120m AOD to the west, the latter coming close to the coastline between Colwyn Bay around Llanddulas. Hinterland landcover The coastal urban form gives way inland to pastoral agriculture, with scattered farms and a few nucleated settlements. The busy A55 Expressway corridor runs inland in the east, but in the west it is sandwiched on a thin strip of low lying land between the coastline and hillsides. There are deep limestone quarries at Llanddulas, but these are not widely visible. The area centering on the resort town of Colwyn Bay, has hilly, sometimes wooded and spacious, suburban areas, often backed by wooded hills. Between Colwyn Bay and Llanddulas there are many lines of hillside houses with panoramic sea views. On lower flatter land near the coastline, in central and eastern areas, there are extensive caravan parks. Lighting The coastal settlements form a significant concentration of light along with the A55 Expressway. The Douglas Oil and Gas Platform, 24km offshore, has an occasional but prominent flare. 2 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments Use Land/coast uses The coast is heavily used for tourism, including beach activities and bathing from the sandy beaches at resorts. There are many residential and some extractive mineral uses (to the west). The A55 Expressway and railway from a major transport corridor and come close to the coastline in the west. Sea uses Limited leisure craft, quarry stone transport, wind farms and oil and gas production. Visual and How the seascape unit is Beaches, car parks and promenades with associated resort hotels, A55 Expressway corridor, sensory qualities experienced the northern end of Offa’s Dyke Path, and roads and public footpaths on the backcloth of hills. The variety of land form and land cover in the western part offers a more visually diverse and sheltered hinterland environment, evoking a more positive experience compared to those to the east around Towyn and Rhyl. Degree of intervisibility There is significant visibility of the sea from the land to the east from the Clwydian Range of land and sea of hills, which rise inland from the coast. In the central part, on the coastal levels, visibility from land to sea is limited to the coastal edge. To the west the landform consists of more diverse hills and valleys with visibility only from the higher points. Much visibility is from the coastal fringe which narrows to the west. Key views to sea and These are afforded from the A55 Expressway, the railway, the North Wales Path, the coastal along the coast cycleway, promenades and seafront buildings of the resorts. Views also from other resort seafronts and A55 Expressway. For A55 Expressway westbound travellers, the Colwyn Bay section is the first where the road reaches the open sea coastline. There are elevated views from the northern end of Offa’s Dyke Path and the northern end of the Clwydian Range of hills, where the Liverpool, the Lancashire coast and Blackpool Tower can be seen on clear days. Key views to land Views from ships heading to/from the Port of Liverpool. Tranquillity/rem- Limited tranquillity except for a relative feeling of wildness and remoteness at Gronant oteness/wildness Dunes. Sense of scale Large - open nature of coast. Openness/enclosure Open Diversity Diverse Exposure Exposed Key cultural The Victorian holiday resorts are now adapting to a changing world but preserving a wealth associations of nineteenth century architecture, e.g. at Rhyl, Prestatyn and Colwyn Bay. The holiday camps, the estates of static caravans, and the Rhyl sea-front amusements sustain the tradition of an inexpensive holiday for visitors from the North of England (though a visit to Rhyl was also a recognised Welsh Sunday School trip.) Forces for change Land/coast Any development pressure to fill the few remaining undeveloped sections of coastline between settlements is significant. Steep/sloping land form limits scope to expand Colwyn Bay, whereas there is little to limit the urban spread from existing settlements in the flat central section. The A55 Expressway is recognised as an economic development corridor, however it is notable that the town of Rhyl has some prominent run down sea front buildings. Climate change may put pressure on sea defences and threaten low lying land with flooding. Sea Further development for wind energy, oil and gas. Designations and National Park / AONB / Clwydian Range sensitive features Heritage Coast Long-distance coastal Offa’s Dyke path, North Wales Path. footpath/National Trail Outstanding and special - historic landscapes 3 Welsh seascapes and their sensitivity to offshore developments Historic gardens and Kinmel Park; Gwrych Castle; The Flagstaff, Colwyn Bay. parks Key scheduled ancient Moel Hiraddug Hillfort SJ 0678 monuments Rhuddlan Castle (also Guardianship site) SJ 0277 Pen y Corddyn Hillfort SH 9176 Bryneuryn Hillfort SH 8379 Country Parks / Open access land No: 2 Regional Seascape Unit Point of Ayr to Colwyn Bay Name: Headline Sub-criteria Increases sensitivity Decreases sensitivity criteria Overall Summary of key • Panoramic sea views from the northern end of the • Large scale open, relatively straight character factors Clwydian Range AONB coastline and • Remaining undeveloped coastline in the Gronant • a large proportion of urban settlements, qualities Dunes/Point of Ayr area (undeveloped soft coastline resorts and extensive static caravan sites is rare in this seascape) with limited scenic quality in some coastal • An established holiday and recreational area where sections the coastline (and sea views) form a focus of activity • limited sea views from developments on flat and gathering. It includes seaside resort promenades land near Towyn and Rhyl and attractions, and the coastal cycleway and North • Existing wind farm and the oil and gas Wales Path platform offshore, which act as lit vertical • Colwyn Bay, with its sweeping promenade and foci elevated backdrop with many residential properties • Shipping is often seen. with sea views • There is significant movement onshore with • Tranquillity increases as one moves back from the the busy A55 Expressway and railway line.