00:00Wales is certainly not known as a skiing hotspot. We do have a few dry slopes dotted around,
00:07but generally speaking you'll need to head to the Alps rather than the valleys if you're
00:10looking to go skiing properly. Plans over the last few years though were in place to
00:15make Merthyr Tydfil the new centre of skiing in the UK, with the country's largest ski
00:19slope known as Rydercar West earmarked to be built near the town, but there are fears
00:24from supporters it will be recommended for refusal by the local council.
00:29It's ahead to have a massive indoor slope, an indoor tropical swimming area, outdoor
00:33and indoor adventure activities and hundreds of hotel rooms, hoping to make it a real centre
00:38of leisure and a luxury attraction for Merthyr.
00:42Concerns have been raised though, focusing primarily on the location, the look of the
00:47site and its ecological impact on the land. In terms of that ecological impact, there
00:51are a number of significant natural protected areas that would be affected by the project,
00:56including a site of specific scientific interest, a site of importance for national conservation
01:00and an ancient woodland which is covered by a tree protection order. These will be massive
01:05barriers for the project and it seems like there is a real possibility it stops it at
01:09the first hurdle, despite a favourable response from the general public.
01:14The council received 146 positive responses in favour of the project, with 23 against
01:19the proposals from locals. If the project does get the go ahead it will bring hundreds
01:25of jobs to the local economy, according to the developers, and they say there will be
01:29a supply chain benefit to the local area, a boost in visitor numbers to the valleys
01:33and the new features will be a boost for locals to take up skiing.
01:38The council will vote on the future of the site over the next week, but for now, nothing
01:42is certain.
Comments