Glyndwr National Park – Thoughts?

12 comments

1. Does genno hi ddim map i weld 🙁

   Rwy’n jyst eisiau wilio map cwl… 🙁

2. I know in mid wales many people there regret not getting in on the national park when snowdonia/ Eryri national park was set up, similarly people there have gripes about it.

   It’s all well and good having the park, it’s more important about what sort of funding and resources come attached to it.

3. It strikes me as more a symbolic and practical move than anything else, because the area is already protected as a national landscape (AONB). National parks have a higher profile, however, and more unified governance through their authorities.

   Edit: I didn’t realise that the proposal includes the extension of the protected area to include more of the Berwyns and Llyn Efyrnwy, so that’s a positive on the whole.

   Naming the park after Owain Glyndŵr seems a bit lazy, and doesn’t follow the pattern of national parks being named after their geographical features. I can understand wanting a shorter name than ‘*Bryniau Clwyd a Dyffryn Dyfrdwy* / Clwydian Range and Dee Valley’, so what about something like ‘*Clwyd* *a Dyfrdwy* / Clwyd and Dee’ or using the name of one of the area’s old commotes?

4. Vyrnwy and the Berwyns aren’t suffering from anything like over tourism at the moment, it’s still really quiet. Any increase at all will feel like a lot though because the roads are tiny and the parking places are few and far between.

5. If you look at the other National Parks, it’s not totally clear that being designated as one actually helps improve the environment and protect wildlife in the park. This may be because parks are toothless and need more powers and better plans for nature and wildlife. It seems to me there’s not much point in creating a new NP in Wales until National Park Authorities have both the plans and the powers to protect and improve nature within their boundaries.

6. Looks like a excuse for the crown estate to milk something out of us. I’m guessing an oil pipeline or offshore wind farm connections to English cities will need to pass through in 10 to 20 years and they’re getting a block put on any building activity now to avoid bigger payments later.

7. In general I’m fairly neutral on national parks. I’ve seem them work well, and I’ve seen them work badly. Like all other public bodies they are only ever as good as their staff.

   I suspect that most people think of national parks being, in large part, about protecting the environment. yet it has to be said that they don’t always do a better job in this respect than anywhere else. I’d also say that they can make things far more different for communities that live in them. An extra layer of administration that is often less accountable to the public.

   Equally I’m not sold on the tourism boost. Yes their existence creates a ‘destination’, but if you look across the UK the tourism levels are inconsistent. I’d even suggest that the tourism in places like the Peak or Lake District, Snowdonia, or the Cairngorms long pre-dated the national parks themselves. It’s more that the designation followed the tourists. As such I doubt there being a fourth park in Wales will really make that much of a difference. In other words I suspect that many of the people who would wish to visit the Clwydian Range already know about it.

   This all came out far more negative than I intended. But I’m struggling to think of substantive positives beyond them being nice to have.

8. “protect the landscape”? You mean all that grass and pasture for sheep?

9. I’m in

10. I’m not convinced. There is very little infrastructure in the area to cope with an increase in tourist traffic. Popular spots, like Moel Famau, get overwhelmed all the time as it is. If this happens, there needs to be a corresponding investment to improve access into the park, and in particular to the beauty spots they’re trying to draw people to. That means expanding car parks, widening roads, and improving public transport. Yeah, I know, fat chance.

    I’m not worried about any impact on jobs though. Look at the [proposed boundaries of the park](https://countyvoice.denbighshire.gov.uk/english/september-2025/latest-news/consultation-opens-on-the-proposed-glyndr-national-park): except for Llangollen and Corwen, which are already in the AONB, it’s limited to extremely rural areas, and particularly the hills. It’s not as though it will be stymieing development. Besides, a new National Park Authority in itself means jobs, and some quite well paid ones too.

    House prices may be impacted. Guess we can only wait and see on that front. There will always be Rhyl for us poors 😂

    [You can respond to the consultation and view the consultation documents here](https://ymgynghori.cyfoethnaturiol.cymru/north-east-gogledd-ddwyrain/proposed-national-park-statutory-consultation-2025/)

11. Yeah, stay insular

12. More houses fix house prices, it is that simple. The bigger problem is without jobs it wont matter if there are houses or not, people will run out of wales to work.

    Most people I know move to big city’s in Wales for there 20’s & out of Wales for work in mid 20’s-30’s, there is just more work & better paid as well as more nightlife/culture outside of Wales.

    Tourism brings work, work keeps people local. I see people always say ‘but it will rise prises’ ignoring that if you dont have local work people will run, why stay if there is no work?

    Red Tape is a problem, I have no idea why Gov always keep trying to punish the public. It’s a big mistake to add more red tape, it’s going to be a problem for existing locals & stop people doing new startups/housing etc.

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