Poltics
Fundamental plans to produce one among Neath Port Talbot’s most popular tourist locations were given the toddle-forward this month no matter some opposition from local residents.
The plans will look the pattern of a visitor infrastructure method at Waterfall Nation in Pontneddfechan and may well maybe maybe unbiased encompass a brand fresh automobile park, retail shop, welfare products and providers, and tourist lodging as soon as done.
The plans were place forward by the local authority in uncover to “ease visitor pressures” in an place of dwelling is referred to as one among basically the most popular tourist attractions in the borough with its lustrous waterfalls, surroundings and countryside.
The dazzling Waterfall Nation In Neath Port Talbot
(Image: Lewis Smith)
They were licensed unanimously by members at a council planning committee on December 17 and came after a successful funding utility to the UK Authorities’s Levelling Up Fund price over £7 million.
The converse mentioned alongside a brand fresh 125 converse automobile park and shop there would additionally be a brand fresh kids’s play park, a welfare facility, an eight bed room lodging unit and low kiosk together with twin carriageway enhancements and a brand fresh salvage entry to level off Pontneathvaughan Avenue to the proposed automobile park.
The converse 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 utility additionally seeks to demolish the existing outbuildings and the existing toilet block and the construction of a farm monitor to the west of the positioning.”
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 “nation 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. For the latest Neath Port Talbot news sign up to our newsletter here.
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