You may have of late heard loud banging resonating through the evening air and wondered what on earth it is and where it’s coming from.
Residents of Pengam Green have certainly heard the noise and felt the impact of the work to sure up our waters’ edges.
The noise is a product of the piling taking place along Rover Way to sure up our defences along the swooping bends of the Rumney River and ensure that Splott doesn’t disappear under the sea in extreme weather.
Piling is a construction technique where long columns of steel (in this instance) are bored deep into the ground to provide support for heavy structures by transferring loads to stronger, deeper soil or rock layers. Watch a video of the Splott piling process here.
In 2024, work on a £35 million scheme started. Spanning 1.5 kilometres along the foreshore, from Tidefields Road to the River Rhymney estuary, it was designed to protect homes from the risk of flooding, protect properties from rising sea levels for the next 100 years, provide defence against a one-in-200-year severe weather event, including allowing for the effects of climate change.
Cardiff Council recently posted on Facebook:
The local authority also published this information in a press release:
Work on a major flood defence scheme in south-east Cardiff is progressing well, as construction on the scheme continues – to protect homes, businesses, and key infrastructure from flooding, coastal erosion, and the impacts of rising sea levels.
When complete, the coastal defence scheme will safeguard 1,116 residentialand 72 non‑residentialproperties, local businesses, and vital infrastructure including Rover Way, Welsh Water pumping stations, the steelworks, and local electricity assets for decades to come.
The scheme will also deliver improvements to the Wales Coast Path and enhance landscaping along the shoreline. All necessary consents, including planning permission, a marine licence, Crown Estate approvals, a Habitat Regulations Assessment, and an Environmental Impact Assessment are in place.
Construction of the scheme began in October 2024 with the first phase involving the installation of rock armour along the coastline. In total, 120,000 tonnesof rock will be used, with 80,000 tonnes already installed and a further 10,000 tonnes currently on site. All materials are sourced from three Welsh quarries, supporting local supply chains.
The next phase of works involves piling steel sheets 19 metres into the ground to stabilise and reinforce the coastline. This “wall” of steel is currently being installed, and when the piling is complete, all sheet piles will stand at one metre above ground level.
Various piling methods are being used to ensure the sheeting is driven into the ground effectively. To date, 262 sheet piles have been installed, with 90 of these reaching the full design depth.
Cllr Dan De’Ath, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Strategic Planning and Transport, said: “As a coastal city, Cardiff is at risk from flooding, especially as sea levels rise and storms become more common. The delivery of this scheme is progressing well, with most of the rock armour now installed and the steel sheet piling clearly visible.
“We want to reassure residents and businesses that all sheet piles will be driven into the ground to a height of one metre above ground level, so the finished appearance will be very different from what you can see on site today.
“Construction will continue in phases over the coming months, with further rock armour and piling works along the foreshore. This major investment will strengthen Cardiff’s coastal resilience, protect communities and infrastructure, and improve public access and the coastal environment for years to come.”
Under the current programme, the project is anticipated to be completed by September 2028.
150,000 tonnes of rock armour protection is being installed along the coastline to manage erosion and high tides as well as sheet piling and maintained earth embankments along the river estuary. It’s the sheet piling that has been in the news lately due to its impressive visual impact and its less than impressive noise generation.
Despite the noise disruption, which has been significant for residents living closest to the site (and the shaking when they whack the steel into the ground), the work and defences are necessary. If you’ve driven along the northern part of Rover Way in the last few years at high tide, you would have seen how close the river has been to bursting its banks.
Hopefully the piling part of the work will be completed soon and peace will return to residents of Pengam Green.