WORK has begun on a major new adventure tourism attraction in Swansea, with construction now moving forward on the Skyline Swansea project.
The £49m development, which is being built on Kilvey Hill, will include an accessible cable car, downhill karting luge tracks, a free children’s adventure playground, a sky swing, and food and drink facilities with views across Swansea Bay.
Earthworks are due to begin on Kilvey Hill to prepare the land for the luge tracks. This will include clearing and shaping the site, along with the installation of sustainable drainage systems designed to protect water quality, reduce pressure on public networks and support biodiversity.
Groundworks will also begin at Landore Park & Ride to prepare the site for the cable car system.
Geoff McDonald, chief executive of Skyline Enterprises, said: “With early preparation works now complete, people will soon begin to see real progress as we move into construction.
“We’re proud to be bringing our first UK site to Swansea and to be working with local partners to deliver something truly unique for the city and the region.”
Public access to Kilvey Hill will be maintained during the works, although temporary diversions and signage will be in place near active construction areas.
Landore Park & Ride and Penderyn Distillery will remain open, but the number of available parking spaces will be reduced while work is taking place.
Skyline said all existing public access routes on Kilvey Hill will be retained, with new trails also created.
Mr McDonald added: “Our focus remains on delivering something of lasting value for Swansea — from the jobs and skills this project will create, to the biodiversity outcomes we are committed to delivering for Kilvey Hill.”
The company said trees and vegetation removed as part of the scheme will be replaced at a ratio of at least three-to-one. Native broadleaf species including field maple, alder, silver birch, beech, Scots pine, sessile oak, wild cherry and whitebeam will be planted, alongside more than 14,000 native shrubs.
New meadow and grassland seeding, sustainable drainage planting and wider habitat restoration will also form part of the project, overseen by certified ecologists.
Construction is expected to continue over the next two years, with the attraction scheduled to open in 2028.
Skyline Swansea will be the company’s first site in the UK and Europe, joining its existing international destinations in New Zealand, South Korea, Malaysia, Singapore and Canada.
