Moel Famau visitor centre cued up for approval

Denbighshire County Council wants to develop a facility at the car park close to the Clywdian range’s highest hilltop.

In plans that go before committee this week, full planning permission is sought for a visitor hub with information and restroom facilities, ranger space, and associated works including a pump and pumphouse in the lower carpark and engineering operations to feed water up to the main site.

DCC is working with TACP Architects.

The site is located at Moel Famau Country Park car park on Bwlch Pen Barras, Llanferres, at the highest point of the Bwlch Pen Barras road. There are two existing car parks, one on each side of the road.

By developing a centre just shy of 1,300 sq ft, the council is aiming to improve the management facilities of the existing tourism destination, which receives between 250,000 and 300,000 visitors a year.

The proposal is a single-storey building, curved with a canopy over the front elevation. Materials proposed are a sedum roof and stone cladding. The building would be dug into the bank adjacent to the northern boundary of the existing car park.

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Internally the building would provide a visitor area with information hub and servery hatch via a small kitchen and preparation area to provide ‘grab and go’ refreshments.

Also mapped out in the plans are a dedicated ranger and volunteer base with staff WC and public toilets accessed externally, as well as an enclosed bin store and plant room.

The visitor area will feature a large interpretation wall with bespoke design for this location together with the information hub, where seasonal, AONB and locally relevant campaigns can be communicated.

Llanferres Community Council has given its blessing after seeing amended plans: “The Council has reconsidered this application and still supports approval.

“The proposed plans would make Moel Famau more accessible for the less able and reduce the risk of visitors littering or otherwise disrespecting the area with rangers being more visible.”

Noting objections, officers said that the main issue is the principle of developing a building in not just open countryside, but in a prominent position in a classified Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

Recommending approval, officers outlined how the proposal is not a ‘commercial’ project, but one aimed at helping to improve council management of a site it is responsible for, one that if approved will enhance an existing tourism destination focused on outdoor activity and thus benefitting health and wellbeing.

The proposals can be viewed on Denbighshire Council’s website with the reference 16/2024/1284/PF.