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CWMBWRLA: Road set to fully reopen on Tuesday as second culvert blockage cleared and flood risk drops to almost zero

The lane closure near Cwmbwrla Roundabout is set to be lifted on Tuesday after a major breakthrough at the Cwmfelin Club site, where contractors have now cleared both blockages in the underground culvert that has caused months of flooding misery in the area.

Cllr Peter Black, who represents the area and has kept residents updated throughout the lengthy works, shared the news on Facebook after receiving an update from the council.

According to the council update shared by Cllr Black, the contractors working on behalf of the Cwmfelin Social Club have now cleared the first blockage, located the second, and completed work on the final section.

The council update states that the culvert is now running at almost full capacity and the risk of further flooding on Carmarthen Road has dropped to almost zero. Welsh Water will now begin its own phase of works, expected to take up to three to four months to complete. The pumps are due to be removed and the road fully reopened on Tuesday, according to the update.

However, Gors Road — which has remained closed throughout the project — will not reopen until Welsh Water completes its resurfacing work at the very end of the process. Cllr Black confirmed this in response to questions from residents on Facebook, noting that it is Welsh Water, not the council, that is carrying out that phase of the works.

Asked by resident Donna Fairbairn whether the Gors Road surface could be completed sooner given the flooding risk has now effectively passed, Cllr Black said he would raise the question with Welsh Water. Fairbairn raised the impact on local businesses directly: “The detrimental effect on our businesses here has sadly suffered long enough. The volume of traffic cutting through private land is also a concerning hazard that needs to be addressed.”

On the question of the future of the Cwmfelin Club site itself, Cllr Black said it would be up to the club to decide, but noted that building over the culvert and sewer beneath would be difficult under current regulations.

Replying to questions from residents about costs, Cllr Black confirmed that the club is meeting the cost of the works from an insurance payout, and that the council will not be making any compulsory purchase of the land.

The Cwmfelin Club sinkhole has been one of the most significant infrastructure stories in Swansea over the past year. Swansea Bay News has followed the story from the beginning — from the initial culvert collapse blamed for the Cwmbwrla flooding and the demolition of the club building, to the discovery of a hidden Victorian tramway channel beneath the site that added further complexity to the repair work.

The full length of the cleared culvert running through the Cwmfelin site — Welsh Water will now begin its own phase of works lasting up to four months. Image: Cllr Peter BlackWater flowing freely through the excavated site as contractors complete work on the second blockage. Image: Cllr Peter BlackThe Victorian brick culvert beneath the Cwmfelin Club site, now running at almost full capacity following clearance of both blockages. Image: Cllr Peter Black

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Mystery deepens at Cwmfelin sinkhole as engineers uncover hidden tramway channel
How engineers discovered a Victorian-era tramway beneath the site.

Huge scale of sinkhole that keeps flooding Swansea revealed as diggers tear into site
The scale of the problem laid bare as excavation work began.

Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
The moment the club building came down.

Council blames collapsed culvert — not drains — for Cwmbwrla flooding
How the culvert collapse was identified as the root cause of the flooding.

#CllrPeterBlack #Cwmbwrla #cwmbwrlaFlooding #CwmbwrlaRoundabout #Cwmfelin #CwmfelinSocialCLub #flooding #WelshWater

Huge scale of sinkhole that keeps flooding Swansea revealed as diggers tear into site

The club — once a popular community venue — has now been completely demolished, clearing the way for Welsh Water’s contractors to dig down to a collapsed culvert buried around 10 metres beneath the site. The culvert is believed to have damaged a main trunk sewer and sits alongside the remains of a tramline that once served the old Cwmfelin steelworks.

The works mark the third phase of a long-delayed repair operation. The first phase involved filling the initial sinkhole beside the club. The second saw the building itself torn down. The third — now underway — is a full excavation to expose and repair the culvert.

A photo taken by local resident Mark Ludlam shows the scale of the operation, with heavy machinery working on a deep pit surrounded by fencing and pumping equipment.

Despite widespread assumptions on social media, the council is not responsible for the repair work. Responsibility lies with Cwmfelin Social Club’s insurers, and with Welsh Water and their insurers, who are overseeing the excavation and the complex sewer repairs beneath the site.

The sinkhole first opened up in August 2023, causing extensive damage to the club and its car park. Beneath the site lies a collapsed culvert, a sewer, and the remnants of a tramline — all of which have complicated the repair work.

The culvert collapse also damaged the main trunk sewer, forcing Welsh Water to install a temporary system running from the grounds of the former Libanus Chapel, along the pavement of Carmarthen Road, under the railway bridge and eastwards to a new connection point. The temporary pipework and pumping equipment remain in place, which is why one lane of Carmarthen Road between Cwmbwrla roundabout and Gors Avenue is still closed.

The issue has escalated over recent months, with repeated flooding incidents across Cwmbwrla, Manselton and Brynhyfryd. On September 14, the culvert collapse triggered a major flood at Cwmbwrla roundabout, leaving the junction impassable from all directions. It took a week to reopen, and the area has flooded multiple times since — including a November incident that left Reb’s Razors barbershop under two feet of water, destroying equipment and stock.

Cwmfelin sinkhole: Timeline of events

2021
A major water leak occurs on the main road outside Cwmfelin Social Club.

January 2022
A small hole appears in the club’s car park near the toilets, described as the size of a dustbin lid.

August 2023
Large cracks form and the club’s toilets collapse into a developing sinkhole, forcing the venue to close.

September 2023
Severe storms cause major flooding at Cwmbwrla roundabout, with the collapsed culvert blamed for water inundating homes and businesses.

October 2023
A sewer beneath Heol y Gors bursts, linked to the broken culvert and water backing up during heavy rain.

October 2024
Investigations confirm a collapsed culvert 10 metres down, a disused tramline and a damaged sewer, complicating repairs due to the nearby railway line.

July 2025
Plans are finalised to demolish the club to allow access for contractors to repair the culvert and sewer.

September 2025
The club is formally slated for demolition as further flooding prompts renewed action.

October 2025
Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins, two years after the major collapse.

January 2026
Excavation work begins to reach the collapsed culvert beneath the former club.

Residents have suffered too. Nigel and Ian Davies, who had lived in their home for 50 years, were rescued by boat after floodwater surged through their property.

The council has repeatedly stressed that the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is the cause of the flooding, and that the responsibility for repairs sits with the club’s insurers and Welsh Water.

Club secretary Mike Kennedy has said he hopes the venue could one day be rebuilt on the land, depending on funding and the outcome of the repairs.

With excavation now progressing, residents are hoping this long-running saga may finally be moving toward a permanent fix — and an end to the disruption that’s hit the area in recent months.

Related stories from Swansea Bay News

Demolition of Cwmfelin Social Club begins after two years on edge of giant sinkhole
Contractors moved in to start taking down the building after months of uncertainty.

Council points to Cwmfelin Club sinkhole works after Cwmbwrla flooding
Officials say the collapsed culvert — not blocked drains — is behind the repeated floods.

Councillor warns culvert collapse could leave Cwmbwrla at risk over Christmas
Fears raised over further flooding as repair delays continue.

Cwmbwrla roundabout closed after cars submerged in flood water
Major disruption as councillor links the chaos to the collapsed culvert.

Cwmbwrla flooding: Roundabout reopens but residents face long recovery
Homes and businesses count the cost after another major flood.

#A483 #CarmarthenRoad #Cwmbwrla #cwmbwrlaFlooding #CwmbwrlaRoundabout #CwmfelinClubDemolition #CwmfelinSocialCLub #demolition #Sinkhole #Swansea #WelshWater