Local anger after new national park backed

The Leader of Powys County Council has issued a scathing response after news that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) is continuing with proposals to create a new national park in north east Wales, despite strong and consistent local opposition and a unanimous council resolution objecting to the plans.

At a meeting of Full Council last month (December), councillors voted unanimously to oppose the proposed Glyndŵr National Park, which would incorporate an area of north west Powys including Lake Vyrnwy, Llansilin and Llangedwyn.

However, NRW has announced that its board agreed to make the Glyndŵr National Park Designation Order, giving people until February 15 to formally respond to the proposal.

Leader Cllr Jake Berriman said: “The council’s objection highlights our serious concerns around poor accessibility, disproportionate socio-economic impacts, and the significant risks this proposal poses to local infrastructure, housing availability and economic development.

“We have also raised the potential loss of planning income and the additional cost burdens that would fall on Powys should designation proceed.

“We are particularly worried that the proposed area lacks the infrastructure needed to support the increased visitor numbers that National Park status would inevitably attract. We have already seen how quickly narrow rural roads and local services can become overwhelmed, especially around Pistyll Rhaeadr and Lake Vyrnwy during the Covid 19 period, when traffic congestion and visitor pressure reached unsustainable levels.

“We remain concerned that designation would place additional pressures on our rural communities while offering little in the way of tangible benefit. The council’s objection will now be submitted formally as part of the statutory process.

“I strongly encourage residents, businesses and community groups to make their views known before the consultation closes.”