‘Pre-application consultation’ scheduled for huge indoor snow centre for Wales

A public consultation is being launched seeking opinions and concerns about a proposed all year-round sports and leisure facility near Merthyr Tydfil.

The company behind a proposed major indoor snow centre planned for a 575-acre site has announced it will enter its Pre-Application Consultation (PAC) period next month with the planning application to be submitted once that is completed.

The company says that the all year round indoor resort at Rhydycar West will include a 500 meter indoor snow slope, making it one of the biggest in Europe, with the potential for it to become the base for Team GB snowsports, Snow Sport Wales, and also a UK ‘Centre of Excellence’ for Snow Sports.

There are further plans for an indoor tropical water park with waterslides, artificial beaches and swimming areas for all ages, all maintained at a ‘constant tropical climate’.

Additionally, an indoor/outdoor adventure park will offer climbing facilities, zip wires and a ‘mountain coaster’ which is a toboggan style roller coaster, low to the ground and capable of adrenalin-charged speeds.

The plans also include a range of accommodation options from a high-end luxury spa hotel, a more relaxed sports hotel and a lodge and glamping zone which the company says will suit a range of budgets and comfort options.

Base camp

According to inthesnow.com the plans for the facility, carrying a budget of £450m, were first announced in 2017 when the site was acquired by a company called Marvel Limited.

Since then, the company says it has “spent extensive time and resources understanding in detail the unique ecological and heritage features of the site” and looking how it can complement other outdoor pursuits and adventure sport businesses in the area such as Bike Park Wales on the outskirts of Merthyr and Rock UK’s Summit Centre in Treharris

Located only one mile from the Brecon Beacons National Park, the Rhydycar West team say they envisaged the resort as the base camp for visitors to explore the whole Valleys region, marketing it as “where the great outdoors meets the great indoors.”

Richard Arnold, head of operations for Rhydycar West said: “We are pleased to have arrived at this point following many years of hard work, investment, careful planning and consideration. We strongly believe this development will be of national significance for Wales and enhance Wales’ and the Valleys Region’s position as an epicentre for adventure tourism,”

During the 28-day PAC period, the Rhydycar West team will be organising online and digital exhibition events to present the proposals to the community and take on board questions and feedback.

In addition, plans, supporting information and the means for the public to comment on the proposals will be available on the Rhydycar West website in April.