Plans for new tourist centre approved despite local objections

Lewis Smith, local democracy reporter

Major plans to develop a popular tourist destinations have been given the go-ahead, despite some opposition from local residents.

The plans will see the development of a visitor infrastructure scheme at Waterfall Country in Pontneddfechan and will include a new car park, retail shop, welfare facilities, and tourist accommodation once completed.

Scenery 

The plans were put forward by the local authority in order to “ease visitor pressures” in an area known as one of the most popular tourist attractions in the borough, with its stunning waterfalls, scenery and countryside.

They were approved unanimously by members at a council planning committee on December 17, and came after a successful funding application to the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund worth over £7 million.

The report said alongside a new 125 space car park and shop there would also be a new children’s play park, a welfare facility, an eight bedroom accommodation unit and coffee kiosk along with highway improvements and a new access point off Pontneathvaughan Road to the proposed car park.

Visitor infrastructure

The report read: “The application seeks full planning permission for the development of a visitor infrastructure scheme, including a car park, retail shop, welfare facilities, tourist accommodation, ancillary plant room and bin store, with associated infrastructure works.

“The application also seeks to demolish the existing outbuildings and the existing toilet block and the construction of a farm track to the west of the site.”

The project will also try to create a permanent parking solution for the area, which has been known to have serious issues with traffic during the busy summer months, with lines of cars often seen covering roads and pavements to the frustration of locals who said they feel “overwhelmed”.

In a letter sent into the meeting, Cllr Simon Knoyle said the project was something he had spent a long time campaigning for since becoming a member due to its ability to solve this ongoing legacy problem.

However, the report added that there were a total of 37 representations made from members of the public over the plans with a number of people showing opposition to them.

These focused on the potential it had to turn a “country village” into a tourist hot-spot, with additional impacts on biodiversity and wildlife, erosion of narrow footpaths, as well as increased pollution, noise and littering in the area.

Others said they feared the approach to the village could completely change and turn into an area of buildings for tourists if approved, with further concerns for the livelihood of a local farmer who owned adjacent land, as well as the privacy of residents.

Officers responded by saying that they had been in talks with a local farmer adding that the plans would not result in any loss of privacy, with conditions put in place to reduce noise. With approval granted by the committee the multi-million pound work is now expected to begin over the coming months.