'A play area for townies': Why opponents say a new National Park in Wales is a bad idea

If approved it would cover a huge pear-shaped slab of Wales, running from near Prestatyn, covering from Corwen to Llangollen and Lake Vyrnwy to Meifod and include the Tanat Valley, near Oswestry.

Powys County Councillor Elwyn Vaughan feared that the Budget measures on farm inheritance would mean “new huge estates and mega farms run by faceless organisations and the destruction of rural communities.”

He says a National Park would turn what isn't owned by huge estates and mega farms into a “play area for townies rather than living vibrant communities.”

“It's difficult to see the advantages of a new National Park whilst facing multi-million pound cuts in Powys.

“The existing National Parks already face cuts and financial pressures, it is inevitable therefore that the creation of a extra local authority in essence will draw from the same ever diminishing pot of money and exacerbate the situation.”

Councillor Trevor Bates, who represents Glyn Ceiriog at Wrexham County Borough Council agreed.

He said: “A lot of people are very angry in the farming community especially after the recent budget.

“Snowdonia, another National Park, already has four million visitors who it cannot cope with.

“A few people who recently moved into the area seem to like the idea but personally I do not see much benefit to it.

“National Parks mean very tough planning restrictions, funding does not cover everything, and it is meant to protect the environment but does not. People come to National Parks trampling across the fields, eroding paths, dropping litter and letting their dogs chase sheep.”

The comments came  in advance of a public meeting in Llanrhaeadr near Oswestry on Friday (November 1).

The Welsh Government has floated the idea of a fourth National Park for Wales. The consultation is being managed by Natural Resources Wales.

If NRW considers that Designation is desirable for the people of Wales then a Designation order will be submitted to Welsh Government. Welsh Government will consider this and decide to either confirm, refuse, or vary the Designation Order. If confirmed, a new National Park will be created.

Ash Pearce, Programme Manager at NRW said: “While we have a statutory procedure to follow, we want to ensure that this is an inclusive process and that people have the opportunity to share their views on the proposals.

“Early engagement has given us a much clearer picture of the issues, hopes and concerns of the local people and stakeholders. We have identified eleven themes that underline both risks and opportunities for the area. These reflect concerns about over tourism and the impact on housing, but also the hopes for better management, responsible access, conservation and nature’s recovery.

“If a new National Park is established, then it must be able to manage the risks and take advantage of the opportunities available, for the betterment of nature, people, and communities.”

“We have amended the study area in response to local feedback and in the past year, appointed three separate independent consultants to help us develop the evidence that will inform our recommendation. As a result of this work, we now have Candidate Area map that we want to share with the public. We encourage anyone interested, to attend one of the events and complete our questionnaire after viewing the summary of the evidence.”

A Welsh Government spokesperson said: “National Parks bring many advantages, protecting our finest landscapes and supporting the environment and communities.

"Work is progressing well with Natural Resources Wales to undertake the designation process for the proposed new National Park, which is their statutory role.

"We have asked NRW to take forward a programme that includes detailed assessment, consideration of the evidence, engagement and consultation.

"This will inform a final decision on any new designation.”

The consultation events planned can be viewed on the NRW website.