Adventure park opponents referred to police over malicious comments

Richard Youle, Local Democracy Reporter

Some people in opposition to a new adventure park in south Wales “have overstepped the mark” in comments made on social media and have been referred to police, a council leader has said.

Cllr Rob Stewart, Swansea Council leader, alleged social media comments about the park on Kilvey Hill had strayed into malicious communication, harassment and threats of violence towards council officers and elected members.

“The threats of physical violence towards any elected members or any members of staff is absolutely abhorrent and will be challenged, so those individuals have been referred to police and to the relevant authorities and we assume that action will be taken in due course,” he said.

Cllr Stewart, speaking at a cabinet meeting on February 19, said the Skyline development was supported by the council but not a council-led project and that it had planning permission. A “significant amount of of misinformation”, he said, was circulating on social media about it.

The Swansea Labour leader said it was right in a democracy to disagree, debate and hold different views but not right “to intimidate, to threaten or seek physical violence”.

A New Zealand-based company, Skyline Enterprises, is behind the Kilvey Hill adventure attraction. It will consist of a gondola lift running from the Landore park and ride site to a hilltop station leading to a food hall and outdoor terrace.

At or near the summit will be a sky swing attached to three towers, a zipline sending riders out on a 1km loop, and two luge tracks and a linking track. There will also be mountain bike routes, walking trails, a play area, picnic benches and a new bridleway.

Trees are being felled to make way for the hilltop infrastructure but there will be replacement planting, woodland management and other biodiversity measures.

There are strongly-held views on the project. Some people are dismayed at the change coming to what they prize as a tranquil outdoor area and don’t think the council and Welsh Government should be co-investing in the scheme.

Others say the attraction will expand access to the hill for more people and bring jobs and a tourism dividend for the city.

The council’s cross-party planning committee approved Skyline Enterprises’ planning application by seven votes to two, with one abstention, after a long debate in March last year.

Skyline Enterprises operates eight other leisure developments worldwide but none yet in Europe. It has previously said that the Swansea project would take up 9% of the total area of Kilvey Hill.

The company is currently working on discharging planning conditions as well as undertaking site work. It’s also seeking a revised parking layout at the base station in Landore.