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Protests to save hill resume with more planned throughout summer

06 Aug 2026 5 minute read

Protests in April. Photo: Climate Camp Cymru

Protests resumed this week with plans for more to take place over summer as construction begins on controversial hill development.

Campaigners say that the development on Kilvey Hill in Swansea will strip green space from ‘poor communities’ and hand profits to an overseas company.

A group of around ten people gathered on Kilvey Hill on Monday and say that this is just the first of more planned demonstrations throughout the summer.

The campaigners say that communities around the hill, St Thomas, Port Tennant, and Bon-y-maen in Swansea, will lose access to their ‘quiet spaces’.

The protests follow the commencement of a multi-million pound development of the area which includes a new gondola, a sky swing, a zip line and a food hall.

Skyline Enterprises, a New Zealand based company, has planning permission and construction is already underway.

In 2022, the previous Welsh Government agreed to a grant of £4m in support of the project, but £1m of this must be paid back by the company.

‘A moonscape’

Campaigners say the money is not going back into the community. Marian Francis, who was involved in organising the demonstration on Monday, said:

“Why should public money be used to support a New Zealand private company?

“It’s a huge amount of public money. There are several big poor communities around the hill. Why do we need a tourist attraction?”

Marian Francis said she wants to stop any concrete being laid to give the woodland a change to grow back.

“This is our quiet woodland. Now it looks like a moonscape. We can’t glue back the trees that they’ve already taken down, but the woodland would recover eventually. It can’t recover if they put the concrete down.

Swansea council joint deputy leader Andrea Harrington said: “Any greenery being removed will be replaced at a 3:1 ratio – and local diversity will be broadened.

A spokesperson for the developers Skyline Enterprises said:

“What is visible now is a construction phase, and the surrounding landscape will be restored and replanted. We work with qualified ecologists, and sustainable drainage is being installed to manage surface water and protect water quality.”

The protesters said that they were aiming to lobby the workers to try to win them onside, handing out flyers while construction continued. The flyers read: “Stop the skyline project – betrayed by our council.”

Another concerned resident who did not want to be named said: “The hill was all we had left… when I saw the hill, I didn’t want to look at it. I nearly cried. I know they call it progress but sometimes its not…

“It’s not about giving us something – it’s money, it’s development. Developers come in and make it look great but the people down the hill’s houses have leaks.

Swansea Councillor Andrea Harrington said:

“We’re pleased that world-class leisure operator Skyline is investing tens of millions of pounds in Swansea.

“Their scheme will bring year-round jobs to local communities and other new opportunities for local people and businesses.

“Only part of Kilvey Hill is being developed – and the hill will remain open and free to the public, including walkers and mountain bikers.

“Skyline Swansea will provide a long-term boost to the city’s tourism trade – and, due to agreements in place, the council’s investment will be recouped over a number of years.

“The council is driving a £1bn regeneration of Swansea – and, as part of that, Skyline will boost our significant improvement work in the Lower Swansea Valley.”

‘First site in Europe’

A spokesperson for Skyline Enterprises, the company in charge of the development, said:

“Kilvey Hill will remain open and free to the public, including walkers and mountain bikers. Once the development is complete and Skyline Swansea opens, existing trails that were affected by the construction will be restored, and new trails will be created.

“Trees and vegetation that were removed will be replaced at a ratio of at least three to one with native broadleaf species, alongside native shrub, meadow, and grassland seeding that will broaden biodiversity over time.

“Our focus remains on delivering something of lasting value for Swansea – from the jobs and skills this project will create, to the biodiversity outcomes we are committed to delivering for Kilvey Hill.”

A spokesperson for the Welsh Government said:

“Skyline Swansea will deliver a world-class tourism attraction creating 100 new jobs and is expected to attract 450,000 visitors annually.

“It uses less than ten percent of the Kilvey Hill land and public access to the site will continue. Some felling, of mostly non-native conifers, has been necessary but native species will be planted, which will in time enhance nature diversity at the site.

“The company developing the attraction, Skyline Enterprises, is an international operator based in New Zealand with extensive experience of running attractions of this type across the world. It has chosen Swansea to be its first site in Europe.”

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