The Welsh Government has announced a record-breaking £85m investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management for this year – the highest annual allocation ever delivered in Wales.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs, Huw Irranca-Davies, confirmed the funding during a visit to a scheme at Rover Way in Cardiff, where major construction work is underway to strengthen coastal defences.
This latest allocation builds on more than £377m committed to flood risk management during this Senedd term – the highest level of investment in flooding ever delivered in Wales.
For 2026/27, more than £85m will be made available to Risk Management Authorities across Wales, including almost £43m in capital funding for new schemes to protect communities at risk. A full breakdown and map of projects will be published on the Welsh Government website.
Speaking from the Rover Way site, where a £35.2m coastal defence project is being delivered by Cardiff Council, the Deputy First Minister said: “We have delivered record investment in flood and coastal erosion risk management because protecting people, homes and businesses is crucial.
“This year’s £85million of funding is the highest annual investment Wales has ever seen.
“It will fund new schemes right across the country, maintain vital infrastructure, and help communities adapt to the increasing impacts of climate change.
“At Rover Way you can see this investment in action. Strengthening defences, protecting thousands of properties and supporting skilled jobs – while we continue to build long-term resilience for communities across Wales.”
The Rover Way scheme includes large-scale rock revetment, earth embankments, sheet piling and erosion protection along the coastline.
Once complete, it will reduce the risk of coastal flooding to 2,326 residential and 204 non-residential properties over the next 100 years. The Welsh Government has provided 85% of the construction funding and fully funded development costs.
The scheme at Rover Way is part of the Coastal Risk Management Programme (CRMP). The CRMP programme as a whole represents £291m of concentrated investment over five years. When complete, it will have delivered 15 schemes across Wales, improving protection for almost 14,000 properties.
Alongside major capital schemes, more than £7.4m will be provided through the Small Scale Works Grant, enabling local authorities to deliver 106 local projects next year. These smaller schemes often use local contractors, supporting jobs and regional economies while delivering practical improvements to existing infrastructure.
Revenue funding will also continue to support the essential day-to-day work of Risk Management Authorities and the Wales Coastal Monitoring Centre, ensuring assets are maintained, warnings are issued, specialist staff are employed and high-quality data underpins decision-making.
An additional £5.26m will support 35 Natural Flood Management projects across Wales, delivering interventions such as tree planting, leaky dams and habitat restoration. These will reduce flood risk for more than 3,300 properties while boosting nature and people’s wellbeing.
During the visit, the Deputy First Minister also met trainees and apprentices and confirmed a £0.5 million external workforce development programme to strengthen specialist flood and coastal skills across Wales over the next three years.
