Consultation and Planning Update


As we approach the end of a productive summer season, our pre-application consultation (PAC) and wider pre-planning submission consultation, we’re keen to keep you updated on our consultation status and progress.

We know many of you have been anticipating the submission for the past few months. However, before the plans are submitted, we must act upon the comments and concerns of the recent pre-application consultation to further support the application in its pursuit of a successful planning decision.

Below is an outline of some of the key tasks that we are currently completing in readiness for the planning submission:

  • The South Wales Trunk Road Agency (SWTRA) have generally concluded that the Rhydycar West development will not create any new adverse traffic impacts. However, they have requested us to consider further the effect of the development on an additional junction on the Merthyr highway network. We have completed this work.
  • Preparation of a “Construction Environmental Management Plan”, as requested by a number of consultees. This will draw together measures to mitigate environmental impact into a single document to make it easier to review. We are in the process of finalising this plan.
  • Recognising that no coal is to be extracted, the Coal Authority has requested us to provide additional submissions detailing our strategy for treating historic mine entries, including the anticipated phasing of investigation works and subsequent remedial treatment and mitigation measures. We are progressing this work.
  • We have provided a comprehensive range of ecological survey data to Natural Resources Wales (NRW), covering all aspects of the land and its ecology. NRW have asked for some clarification and additional information around this data which we have already gathered through c.6 years of onsite survey work. We are in the process of preparing this other data and have been conducting further surveys on site since July.
  • NRW has requested further detail about how we will specifically secure ecological mitigation and compensation. We are preparing additional submissions to address these matters.
  • NRW has requested we provide further detail regarding possible external materials and colour palate that we will use in the construction of the buildings at the development (e.g. hotels, snow centre and waterpark). We are preparing additional information and details regarding this.

Current planning documents prepared for the PAC are available from our website www.rhydycarwest.com/planning. Once we submit the planning application, we will also make available the full suite of planning documents on our website.

We’ll notify you when the planning application is ready for submission and look forward to communicating this soon.