Swansea's Kilvey Hill is set to be transformed into an adventure hub, complete with a gondola lift, zipline, sky swing, luge runs, and mountain bike trails, after plans were recommended for approval.
Council planning officers have concluded that the overall benefits of the project by New Zealand's Skyline Enterprises would surpass the "significant harm arising from landscape and visual impacts".
The comprehensive 136-page report will be up for debate at the council's planning committee meeting on Tuesday, March 4. The sizeable nature of the site has necessitated referral to the committee, and Bonymaen councillor Mandy Evans has also called in the application.
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Skyline's ambitious scheme involves constructing a base station at the existing Landore park and ride, which would entail knocking down the current terminal building. Visitors would then ascend Kilvey Hill via an eight-seater gondola lift crossing the River Tawe.
At the summit, they'd find a food hall and an outdoor terrace awaiting them.
The attraction offers a variety of activities: a five-person sky swing, a thrilling zipline circuit spanning 1km, two luge tracks with an interconnecting track, various mountain biking paths, and walking trails. Luge enthusiasts can return uphill using a four-seater chairlift, reports .
Additionally, new pathways will connect to a freshly planned play area.
The operating hours for the sky wing, zipline and luge rides would fluctuate between summer and winter seasons. However, the gondola lift and food hall are set to be open from 9am to midnight all year round.
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The planning officers' report confirmed that public access to Kilvey Hill would remain unimpeded, with the play area, mountain bike routes and walking trails remaining free of charge. A proposal has been put forward for a discounted annual pass for the project's paid-for features.
The report highlighted that the land at Kilvey Hill is managed by a combination of the council, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and private landowners, with parts of it maintained as community woodland. The council's cabinet has given its initial nod to offload its land at the site.
Skyline Enterprises' application has sparked a wave of 545 objections from individuals, alongside additional opposition from various groups and societies. On the flip side, there have been 40 letters backing the project.
Among the concerns raised are the visual and noise impacts of the development, potential harm to wildlife and ecology, loss of green space, limited access to the hill during construction, heightened parking pressures in the vicinity, how the project aligns with the council's "net zero" commitments, and the proposed use of public funds to back it. An email from local councillor Joe Hale suggested the project would bring more noise and disruption than economic growth.
The planning report disclosed that the Welsh Government has granted a £4 million subsidy for the project, with £1 million of this being repayable. While Skyline has not received direct financial backing from the council, an investment of around £8 million is under consideration.
Proponents of the scheme argue it will create employment opportunities in the region, boost Swansea's investment appeal, enhance its tourism profile, make the hill more accessible to a broader demographic, and could deter off-road motorbike activity.
The planning report acknowledged that the proposed development "would result in harmful landscape and visual impacts derived from the high sensitivity of the landscape and the changes as a result of the introduction of man-made structures". However, it noted that these effects would be somewhat lessened by the project's design, layout, landscaping, and "sensitive" lighting strategies.
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Kilvey Hill, recognised as a designated quiet area – one of 18 in Swansea, which includes spots like Brynmill Park, Swansea beach and Singleton Park – is not subject to specific noise level restrictions or limits, according to the planning report. "The majority of Swansea's quiet areas are large areas and allow for such vibrant and lively leisure and play activities to take place while still allowing those who want a quiet and tranquil experience to seek out such areas within the wider quiet area," the document noted.
The report concluded that, based on the evidence provided, it was unlikely that the hill's current users would be deterred by increased noise levels. It acknowledged some detriment to the quiet area but deemed the impact tolerable.
On the ecological front, the report highlighted that a significant portion of the proposed development site falls within a site of importance for nature conservation. The project would necessitate the clearance of nearly seven hectares of predominantly conifer woodland, alongside the loss of three-and-a-half hectares of purple moor-grass and rush pasture grassland.
Skyline Enterprises has suggested the introduction of a more varied mix of shrubs and trees to enhance habitat diversity, as well as the management and enhancement of existing woodland areas. Furthermore, the planning report mentioned that Natural Resources Wales (NRW) harbours long-term ambitions to replace conifers on the hill with open habitats or native broadleaved trees, and neither NRW nor the council's planning ecologist have raised objections to the plans.
The attraction could welcome up to 466,200 visitors annually, according to Skyline Enterprises, with roughly half expected to travel from beyond Wales' borders.
During the building phase, the project is anticipated to generate 316 direct and indirect positions, followed by 110 full-time equivalent roles by the second year of operations.
Guests would be able to use 334 parking spots at the revamped Landore park and ride facility.
Projections suggest 71% of journeys would be made by car, 18% by bicycle or on foot, and 10% via public transport.
A proposal detailing cycle parking arrangements forms part of the suggested planning conditions, whilst a fresh railway station at Landore represents a distinct element of the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro scheme.
The planning document noted that the council was examining possibilities to relocate the existing Landore park and ride location, describing the current facility earmarked to serve the Skyline development as "significantly under-used" at this time.
The report emphasised that tourism was regarded as "vitally important" to Swansea's economic landscape, with the advantages of a year-round destination considered substantial.
Should approval be granted, Skyline Enterprises will be required to contribute £30,000 towards enhancing and expanding the public footpath network across Kilvey Hill. A council spokesperson commented on the possible investment in the Skyline project, noting that around £8m has been earmarked, with expectations of full repayment.
"While cabinet has approved funding in principle, there is no binding commitment as yet on the council's part and funding would need to meet certain conditions before any money is potentially paid out," he explained.
Last May, a high-ranking representative from Skyline Enterprises shared insights into the project, revealing it would occupy 9% of Kilvey Hill, with access restrictions only at the summit of the gondola ride for safety purposes. The firm's board has greenlit a budget of 78 million New Zealand dollars, which equates to approximately £35m with the current exchange rate.
Although Skyline Enterprises runs eight other leisure ventures across the globe, this would be their first foray into Europe.