Controversial new National Park set to be shelved

Plans to include large parts of northern Montgomeryshire in a new National Park look set to be shelved following the latest comments from a Welsh Government Minister.

Local political figures were firmly against the move, voicing concerns over the cost, proposed boundaries and potential impact on rural communities.

The proposed Glyndŵr National Park would have been Wales’s first new National Park since 1957 and its fourth overall. The scheme, developed through a designation process led by Natural Resources Wales, was intended to build on the existing Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape.

The proposed boundary extended from Prestatyn in the north to areas west of Welshpool, taking in a wide swathe of north-east Wales, including parts of the Dee Valley and surrounding countryside.

While supporters argued that the designation could boost nature recovery, tourism and outdoor recreation, the proposal also attracted significant opposition and concern from communities, businesses and local authorities.

The estimated cost of establishing the new National Park was more than £11 million, with further financial commitments required to operate a separate National Park Authority. All five local authorities covering the proposed area raised objections or reservations about the plans, including concerns over funding, planning arrangements and the consequences for local communities.

Montgomeryshire MS Elwyn Vaughan has welcomed the Welsh Government’s indication that plans will be shelved after Minister for Government Effectiveness, Dafydd Trystan Davies, said that he did not intend to proceed with the public local inquiry previously planned for the scheme.

He said the environmental objectives identified through the designation process could potentially be delivered through alternative means, without the expense of establishing a new authority. A final decision has not yet been made, with a further four-week period being offered for representations.

Mr Vaughan MS said: “I welcome the Welsh Government’s announcement that plans for a new national park in north-east Wales are likely to be shelved.

“The previous Labour Government’s pursuit of this scheme has already cost the public purse thousands, with serious questions remaining about the benefits it would deliver for our rural communities.

“The proposed boundaries have made little geographical sense, joining areas from Llangadfan in Montgomeryshire to Prestatyn that have little in common. And with studies reportedly showing little difference in biodiversity inside and outside existing National Parks, the environmental case for this new designation is far from clear.

“Like so many locals, I’ve long shared concerns about the potential impact on house prices, pressure on rural infrastructure, agriculture and the cost of creating a new authority - and all this at a time when existing National Parks are facing significant financial pressures and rural services continue to be squeezed.”

Mr Vaughan added that the focus should now be on practical measures to protect and enhance the natural environment, while supporting the communities, farmers and businesses that sustain rural Wales.