Powys County Council is set to oppose a new national park being created in Wales, warning it is 'incoherent' and would not support outdoor recreation in the county.

The planned park being proposed around the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty is in its second phase consultation from the Welsh Government and Natural Resources Wales.

In December last year Powys councillors voted to oppose the proposals, which would take in Llanfyllin, Meifod and Lake Vyrnwy.

Next Thursday (December 5) a consultation response is expected to be ratified that slams the plans, which have already been described as an "unaffordable luxury" by the man who is signing the statement off, Cllr Jake Berriman.

Written by the council’s professional planning leader Peter Morris, it makes comments on the themes of its impact on people, communities and economy; wildlife, agriculture and land management; and environment and sustainability.

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It raises "significant concerns" and says the park would impact on the council’s planning department, costing it money in planning fees and affecting the new Local Development Plan that's in development.

And it says it will not support more outdoor activities like walking and cycling, adding: "The part of the Candidate Area proposed within Powys is not located close to large centres of population or to sustainable transport infrastructure which will limit recreational opportunities and increase pressure on existing infrastructure and generate unsustainable travel patterns from increased visitors.

"The private sector is able to respond to the demand for open air recreation, but this response is likely to be stifled by the designation of a National Park."

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Mr Morris warns that the park designation would  restrict the types of development such as mineral extraction or large scale renewable energy projects.

The document also warns that the park would be "improved farmland or planted forestry", and says the area of Powys affected does not make sense.

"The Candidate Area lacks coherence as a single area of natural beauty or landscape character and is not a unified area with a unique and recognisable identity such as Bannau Brycheiniog, Eryri or Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks," it adds.

"The candidate area includes a number of disparate, individual areas of natural beauty that each have their own individual characteristics and their only association is that they can be grouped along a north - south corridor."

Mr Morris adds that the area of Powys under consideration is “improved farmland or planted forestry”.

Mr Morris said: “It is not clear which aspects of natural beauty are being used as a basis for identifying this area.”

Cllr Berriman has already joined the chorus of Powys politicians who are set against the national park, and has posted his own consultation submission on social media.

Cllr Jake BerrimanCllr Jake Berriman

He wrote: “A national park is seen by the majority of those that live and work here, as a barrier to new flexible approaches that support local initiatives and indigenous growth.

“A new park is seen as a luxury that can be ill-afforded with a loss of planning income and an additional precept falling on Powys council.

“I would caution against progressing a national park designation that crosses the administrative boundary into Powys, as it will, I am sure, be contested at every stage.”

Led by Campaign for National Parks (CNP) a joint statement has been signed by 18 organisations including the Alliance for Welsh Designated Landscapes, RSPB Cymru, WWF and National Trust, supporting the proposal.

The 10 week consultation ends on Monday, December 16.

Powys already includes a large area of Bannau Brycheiniog National Park and a small area of Eryri.

To have your say visit: https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/north-east-gogledd-ddwyrain/waless-national-park-proposal-public-consultation/