Work to get underway on £49 million tourism project
Construction work is set to begin on Swansea’s controversial £49 million Skyline adventure tourism development.
Developers say earthworks will shortly begin on Kilvey Hill and at the Landore Park and Ride site as the next phase of the long-planned project gets underway.
The development, led by New Zealand-based Skyline Enterprises, will eventually include a cable car system, downhill luge-style karting tracks, a sky swing, walking trails, food and drink facilities and a free children’s play area overlooking Swansea Bay.
Work beginning in the coming weeks will focus on preparing the land for construction, including shaping the hillside for the luge tracks and installing drainage systems designed to reduce stormwater run-off and support biodiversity.
Groundworks will also start at the Landore Park and Ride site ahead of the construction of the gondola lift system linking the city with the hilltop attraction.
Skyline Enterprises chief executive Geoff McDonald said local people would now begin to see visible progress on the scheme.
“With early preparation works now complete, people will soon begin to see real progress as we move into construction,” he said.
“We’re proud to be bringing our first UK site to Swansea and to be working with local partners to deliver something truly unique for the city and the region.”
The attraction is expected to open in 2028 and will become Skyline’s first development in Europe, joining similar sites operated by the company in countries including Canada, Singapore, Malaysia and South Korea.
Developers say public access to Kilvey Hill will remain open throughout the construction period, although some temporary diversions and fencing will be introduced near work areas.
The project has attracted significant opposition from environmental campaigners and some local residents concerned about the impact on green space, tree loss and increased visitor traffic.
Last month, protesters linked to Climate Camp Cymru staged a demonstration aimed at blocking machinery from accessing the hill.
The group said it had organised a “blockade and picket” at the construction access point and called for work on the project to stop.
South Wales Police said at the time that it supported lawful protest but would take action against anyone breaking the law.
Debate
Planning permission for the scheme was granted by Swansea Council last year following lengthy debate.
Supporters, including Swansea Council and the Welsh Government, argue the development will boost tourism, improve access to Kilvey Hill and create jobs.
Skyline says the development will include major environmental mitigation work, with trees and vegetation replaced at a ratio of at least three to one.
The company said more than 14,000 native shrubs would be planted alongside meadow restoration and new woodland featuring species including silver birch, oak, alder and wild cherry.
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Will Welsh construction companies be involved or will the work be farmed out to outside contractors? Cymru/Plaid Cymru need to tackle this issue. Training first-class skills here should be on top of the agenda and I don’t mean a few months training but proper apprenticeships that last up to five years similar to what it used to be.
This is soecialised work and for safety reasons it should be given to the company with the best track record.
Disagree.
To grow the economy, Cymru needs engineers.
The council / developer should have partnered with a Swansea based engineering organisation and told them to recruit the engineer / deputy / design manager who led the other projects around the world with a salary uplift of 20%.
Then the individual would live in Swansea and deliver the project; then the council should work with the engineering organisation to deliver similar projects throughout Europe at a lower cost than the New Zealand organisation.
This is very basic economics.
The site, or to give it its original Welsh name of Y Bigwrn, is currently part of Kilvey Community Woodland and owned by NRW, so open access. So when they say “public access to Kilvey Hill will remain open throughout the construction period” it means that it will be closed off to the people of Swansea once completed. Thereafter ‘pay to access’ being introduced. How much did Skyline Enterprises pay for this land or was it another giveaway by the previous Welsh Government administration, as happened around Merthyr and other parts of Wales?
That’s not a reasonable conclusion. Public access can remain open during and after the work.
Wales is far too dependent on tourism, a sector that is fragile at best, accompanied by low wages. High wage employment needs skilled young people and that’s where the investment should be.
As an export industry, tourism brings new money into any economy. The solution to fragility is a diverse range of visitors from more successful economies. The solution to low wages is all season high value attractions. Diversity matters in all economies because this improves resilience, but you don’t fix a lack of diversity by reducing existing sectors.
Believe me, only business people make big money out of tourism. The local economy does not really benefit. Most of the cash goes to companies that are not even based anywhere near Cymru. Even their employees are usually outsiders that have been trained elsewhere to descend here and do the work that locals should be doing.
“Business people” can be locals. And benefits can be indirect even where hotel chains and restaurants dominate. The biggest problem is the bargain basement footfall that clogs up the roads but has no money left after paying for a cheap room to spend in local businessess.
And when climate change and global financial
insecurity occur, who will be the first to desert our shores?
There’s 450m potential customers just over channel, one sleeper train away.
Fair enough, a handful of local business people may benefit but that’s where the money stays …. with the businessman/woman. He or she will not go around the locality handing out money to the locals!! The man in the street and the locality will get bu**er all. We need investment by locals that will benefit the people and the area not these far-away companies that whisk away any profits into foreign banks and offshore accounts. The Welsh government need to analyse business proposals and developments thoroughly and not allow any outsiders to profit without a large ongoing benefit to the… Read more »
Let’s start by banning Spoons?
Yes, we need to grow our own economy that isn’t dependent on exploitative and short term contracts that only perpetuate a low wage system.