Campaigners’ Kilvey Hill ecology concerns addressed say Skyline developers

Kilvey Hill was once a barren and toxic wasteland, devastated by the industrial revolution and described as a “moonscape” where where trees would not grow. This changed around 60 years ago when hundreds of thousands of trees were planted on the hill in an effort to re-green the space.

Natural Resources Wales recently announced plans to replace many of the originally planted pine and larch trees that have since succumbed to disease with native broadleaf varieties outlined in a new 25-year plan.

The hill could be in for a further transformation if plans by New Zealand-based Skyline Enterprises for a cable car, luge run and other attractions on a portion of the site are successful.

Skyline say that existing access and leisure uses of the hill would be retained and the ecology enhanced with additional tree planting.

However, a group of residents have set up a petition to stop the development citing environmental and traffic concerns.

Campaigner, Xavier Panadès I Blas said: “Skyline are planning are theme park on the top of Kilvey Hill, the greatest forested and most biodiverse area in urban Swansea.

“Kilvey Hill is part of the ecosystem with Crymlyn Bog, one of the most important wetland sites in Europe and the largest lowland fen in Wales.

“Both are part of the South Wales Coast Important Invertebrate Area (IIA), and as a results habitat to many bird, insect, reptile, and mammal species.

“The massive impacts of the theme park on the Hill will dramatically affect the bog such as habitat fragmentation, loss of preying grounds, etc.,  and most importantly biodiversity.

“For instance, the 450,000 visitors a year will increase dramatically and collapsed (sic) the roads around Swansea and motorway to Swansea.

“Equally the noise and air pollution in the area produced by the expected 2,100 to 4,200 expected (and 10,000 or more on summer bank holidays) weekly will sharply increase and affect our children.

“This is an absolute catastrophe for our city and the impacts will never level up for the few jobs this project will bring in”.

In response, a spokesperson for Skyline Enterprises said: “Our proposals for Kilvey Hill celebrate the hill and its wildlife alongside providing a fun new attraction for the residents of Swansea and its visitors. We recognise the value and importance of the site in ecological terms and, for this reason, instructed Welsh consultancy firm, EDP, back in 2018 to start ecological survey work. That work has continued to date and has informed the preparation of our proposals. Critically, our objective is to enhance the overall biodiversity of the site and to allow for the better management of these in the long term through our involvement.

“We recognise the community has concerns about highways effects but our assessment work to date indicates that traffic at peak times will increase by just 3%. There are good sustainable transport options to the site with regular buses between the lower gondola station and the city centre, and a national cycle route crossing part of the site. Existing pedestrian and cycle access to the hill will remain as it is now with free and unhindered access. We also propose to add more biking and walking trails, and picnic areas.

“If our application is successful, Skyline will be investing circa £34million into the development of the site and we are already seeking local partners to assist with food and beverage retail at the proposed attraction and in the construction of the scheme. Local planning, environmental and engineering firms have already been appointed to develop the application proposals. Skyline has built recognised world class facilities like this across the globe in in New Zealand, Canada and Singapore. 

“We believe Kilvey Hill is an excellent opportunity for our eighth site and we are committed to its sensitive development, as we have been with all our other sites. Community support was very strong during our recent consultation events, and we look forward to further engagement with the people of Swansea as the planning application progresses.”

(Lead image: Bill Boaden / Creative Commons)