Segway centre plan is withdrawn

llanblogger exclusive

A planning application for a segway adventure trail on the edge of Llangollen has been withdrawn.

Details of the scheme - reference number 03/2013/1014 - on land to the north of Cilmedw Farm, were submitted to Denbighshire County Council last August. 

The plan called for the creation of a segway adventure trail, the demolition of an existing building and the erection of a replacement building to provide facilities for a segway centre and, as a white water rafting centre, the formation of vehicular access and creation of car park and associated development.

According to the planning brief, the site of the application was to the west of the A5 and to the north west of the White Water Hotel, and located close to the edge of Llangollen amongst a cluster of development associated with the town and set around the A5. 

However, yesterday (Thursday) an objector to the scheme was sent a letter from Graham Boase, Denbighshire’s Head of Planning and Public Protection, says: “I write to advise you that the above application submitted to the Local Planning Authority has now been withdrawn by the applicants/agent and the Authority will not therefore proceed any further with its consideration.”

The site of the application is currently agricultural land which slopes up from the A5 towards the northern and western sides of the site in line with the land form of the area, which is defined by the wooded slopes that form the western side of the Vale of Llangollen. 

The brief explains: “The proposal is a full application for the creation of a segway adventure trail and a white water rafting centre which involves the following elements:

• Creation of a segway track (with a grass surface);

• Demolition of existing agricultural building on site and erection of a replacement building of a similar size and scale which will provide facilities for the segway centre, and will also be used as the base for the applicant’s white water rafting business;

• Creation of a new access and formation of a parking area (gravel surface);

• Provision of wood chip path between parking area and building;

• Formation of soakaways to serve the building."

The planning brief submitted with the application said: “The proposal would make a positive contribution to the area’s economic character as it would provide employment and would be an additional attraction that would assist in attracting and retaining visitors. 

“A new access will be provided for the site onto the road bordering the northern section of the western edge of the site, this will then allow access onto the A5 via the existing junction.” 

Well-known local campaigner Martin Crumpton, of Berwyn, who led the initial opposition to the Sainsbury’s supermarket on the Dobson & Crowther site off the A5 and also battled plans for the closure of Llangollen Cottage Hospital, opposed the segway scheme.

Writing to a county council planning official last August Mr Crumpton expressed his concern the proposed development would destroy an identified, active badger sett and lead to what he described as “further decimation of AONB (Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty) and World Heritage land”.

On hearing that the application had been withdrawn, Mr Crumpton said: "The badgers who live at an undisclosed location west of Cilmedw are now safe."