South Wales Evening Post - 13 September 2006
A £150 million golf and leisure resort planned for Swansea could be at risk because of Assembly intervention, according to one city councillor. The Royal Fern Park project, which could create more than 200 new jobs, has received the backing of Swansea Council.
However, the Assembly used its powers to call in the plans 16 months ago.
Councillor Richard Lewis says he is worried the plans might now be abandoned because of ongoing delays.
City-based Dillwyn Productions want to create a golf and leisure resort on a 350-acre site near the M4 at Llangyfelach.
One expert has said the development could bring in as much as £35 million a year to the local economy.
Councillor Lewis said: "This project would see the creation of an 18-hole golf course and the setting up of a golfing academy, which would offer free tuition to local youngsters. There would be 95 executive houses, a fitness centre and clubhouse.
"And set amid the woodland around the course would be 80 chalets for use by visiting golfers.
"It would be a major coup to have such a development on our doorstep, and we would hope it would bring about spin-offs from the golfing world.
"In concept, it's not unlike Center Parks.
"Tourism has to be nurtured and developed. I'm sure a development like this would go from strength to strength.
"The Assembly called in the plans in May last year because of concerns over its possible effect on the character and appearance of the area.
Councillor Lewis said: "The Assembly threw a spanner in the works by calling this in, even though there was only one objector. The continuing delays on deciding these plans could put the project at risk.
"I think that's disgraceful, and I want to know which Minister it was who called in these plans.
"If this development fails because of the delays it has been subjected to, then whoever was responsible should resign."
A spokeswoman for the Assembly said yesterday: "The planning application was called in by Carwyn Jones, the Minister for Environment, Planning and Countryside following notification by Swansea Council that it was a departure from its Development Plan.
"The report from the inspector was delayed because of the inspector's illness.
"We received the report last week and it is our aim to deliver decisions within 12 weeks of the receipt of an inspector's report.
"We expect this case to go before a Planning Decision Committee by December."
