UNDER the ambitious £21.7 million Elan Valley Lakes project, funding is being sought from the Mid Wales Growth Deal to support a transformational 5-year development. Dŵr Cymru will make a significant financial contribution to the capital investment of the project. Growing Mid Wales Board granted approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Elan Valley Lakes project on Friday 19th April. This decision marks a major milestone for the Growth Deal and Elan Valley, as the first project to get the green light to advance to Full Business Case (FBC), the final stage of the bid development process.
Encompassing 1% of Wales, Dŵr Cymru’s Elan Valley is renowned as an iconic visitor destination, boasting six Victorian dams set in breathtaking landscape. It serves as a sanctuary for wildlife and includes sites of special scientific interest (SSSI’s), an International Dark Skies Park and Celtic Rainforest. Attracting visitors from across the UK and internationally, Elan Valley offers a wealth of walking and mountain bike tracks and spectacular scenery, making it a haven for outdoor adventure.
Under the ambitious £21.7 million Elan Valley Lakes project, funding is being sought from the Mid Wales Growth Deal to support a transformational 5-year development. Dŵr Cymru will make a significant financial contribution to the capital investment of the project. Growing Mid Wales Board granted approval of the Outline Business Case (OBC) for the Elan Valley Lakes project on Friday 19th April. This decision marks a major milestone for the Growth Deal and Elan Valley, as the first project to get the green light to advance to Full Business Case (FBC), the final stage of the bid development process.
On receiving the news, Vicky Martin, Head of Visitor Attractions at Dŵr Cymru said, “We are thrilled to get the project to this stage – it has been quite a journey and an enormous amount of work by the bid development team. Elan Valley Lakes is a hugely exciting project, which will transform the visitor experience, create and secure jobs, skills and training opportunities for local communities and grow the Mid Wales regional economy.”
The Elan Valley Lakes Project aligns with the Growth Deal strategic growth priorities in delivering sustainable tourism. It will help position the Mid Wales region as a must-see visitor destination, with world-class visitor facilities. It will also minimise environmental impact through low-carbon development and the use of renewable energy sources, which will contribute to Dŵr Cymru’s path to achieving net zero emissions. Another significant focus involves restoring and expanding the Celtic Rainforest in the Elan Valley, by connecting and restoring fragmented areas to enhance biodiversity.
To support the development of the Full Business Case, Dŵr Cymru has engaged an architect to produce designs for an enlarged Visitor Centre. Mike Booth, Elan Valley Visitor Attraction Manager said, “The visitor centre will be reimagined to offer panoramic views of Caban Coch Dam from the café; together with a new reception and retail space, planetarium and exhibition. It will also incorporate a training kitchen to support apprenticeships, along with upgrades to wastewater management facilities. This is a very exciting time for Elan Valley.”
