Gym and saunas planned for popular valleys country park

Anthony Lewis Local Democracy Reporter

There are plans to bring a gym and saunas to a popular valleys country park.

A planning application has been submitted or a proposed gym facility and a proposed sauna facility at Dare Valley Country Park in the Cynon Valley.

There is currently a gym marquee and cafe area and an open grassed area on the site and the surrounding area includes parkland, woodland, leisure facilities, parking, and footpaths.

The design and access statement says the proposal is intended to provide health, fitness, and wellbeing facilities that complement the surrounding recreational and leisure uses of the area.

It says the proposal has been designed to respond to the landscape character of the area and minimise visual impact.

Existing trees and vegetation will be kept where possible and the plan is for new planting to “soften the development, screen views, and enhance biodiversity”.

Paths and external seating areas will be included within the landscape design.

Access to the site will be from the existing access road and car park.

Parking will be available for visitors and staff in accordance with local standards, the application says.

Safe pedestrian routes will connect parking areas, the gym entrance, and the sauna pods.

The statement says the proposal has been designed with inclusive access principles in mind and so the gym entrance will be step-free with accessible routes, door widths, and internal circulation spaces suitable for wheelchair users.

At least one sauna pod and associated facilities will be designed to be accessible where practicable.

Emergency and service access will be maintained through the site via the primary access route.

The development includes energy-efficient construction, high levels of insulation, low-energy lighting, and water-saving fixtures.

The design and access statement says opportunities for renewable energy generation will be considered at detailed design stage.

It also says the gym building is designed as a low-rise structure with a simple contemporary form and the sauna pods are small-scale structures that sit discreetly within the landscape with their scale deliberately limited to avoid dominating the site.

And it says materials have been selected to complement the setting including timber cladding, dark metal roofing, and muted external finishes.

The statement says the design seeks to achieve a modern but understated appearance appropriate to a leisure and countryside environment.