Llanfyllin could become a gateway to the first new National Park in Wales for nearly 70 years.
On June 14, Llanfyllin Mayor Peter Lewis met with representatives from Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government to discuss new plans to create a National Park in North East Wales.
While NRW says that nobody who would be involved in the process of evaluating whether to designate a new park attended the meeting, Llanfyllin Town Council says the meeting was to discuss the possibility of Llanfyllin becoming the southern gateway for the new North East Wales National Park.
Cllr Peter Lewis said: “This will be of great benefit for Llanfyllin Tourism to support local businesses, but still needs to be of benefit for the wider more rural businesses and farming communities.”
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The proposition will be discussed at Llanfyllin Town Council’s next meeting on Wednesday, June 21.
In May 2023, the Welsh Government commissioned Natural Resources Wales to evaluate the case for a new National Park in North East Wales based on the existing Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
Natural Resources Wales has established a team to lead this work which will include data and evidence gathering, and engagement with local communities and other key stakeholders, such as their meeting with Cllr Lewis.
Ash Pearce, project manager, said: “Natural Resources Wales is the Designating Authority in Wales and must be satisfied that there is sufficient evidence to designate a new National Park.
“There is a statutory process to follow which was last completed in the 1950s and took around a decade.
“This time we also need to take account of new information and new legislation, so we are incorporating principles of Sustainable Management of Natural Resources into the procedure."
The last national park to be officially created in Wales was the Brecon Beacons, now Bannau Brycheiniog, which was created in 1957.
“With Welsh Government funding, a strong team and new technology, we aim to complete the process within the existing Senedd term, by 2026," Mr Pearce added.
“The timeline is challenging, but we are also not prepared to compromise on providing robust evidence.
“There will be stakeholder engagement and a public consultation to ensure that we get the best result for the people of Wales.
“Once this is done, and if the evidence supports a designation, then a Designation Order will be submitted to the Welsh Government.
“Ministers will need to consider this and decide whether to confirm, refuse or vary the Order.
“If it’s confirmed in 2026, the Welsh Government will then establish Wales’s fourth National Park and the first in Wales for nearly 70 years.”
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