Farmers whose land falls within Wales’ proposed new national park fear it will mean more onerous planning controls, with one farming union suggesting it could stifle, even stop on-farm developments.

The Welsh Government has commissioned Natural Resources Wales (NRW) to assess the case for a new National Park within the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB).

It would be the first National Park to be established in Wales since 1957.

Farmers in the region are concerned about the implications for their businesses and the countryside and are questioning why the designation is needed.

Members of the Farmers’ Union of Wales (FUW) fear it will result in a surge in visitors in the numbers seen after pandemic lockdowns were lifted and the consequential impact on the countryside and farming operations.

The FUW says it is opposed in principle to designations which result in farmers, residents and rural businesses facing additional costs, putting them at a competitive disadvantage.

"The FUW opposes the National Park designation of the Clwydian Range, given that sustainable on-farm development and other rural developments that benefit local economies will, at the very least, be more expensive in such areas, and may well be stifled or stopped entirely by the more onerous planning controls applied in these areas,’’ said a union spokesperson.

The FUW said AONB and National Park designations often attracted a significantly higher number of visitors and therefore users of public footpaths.

“While visitors are welcome, the Covid-19 pandemic highlighted just some of the problems tourism can cause for rural communities, including substantial costs, and compromise animal health and welfare through dog attacks,’’ it added.

NFU Cymru recently hosted a meeting in Llangollen to discuss the proposals with farmers.

Montgomeryshire and Clwyd County Adviser Olivia Bennett Jones said there was a big turnout, reflecting the level of concern.

“During our meeting, members highlighted several issues and concerns with the proposed new park, including the challenges of farming within a designated area, additional planning constraints, housing availability for the local community and the impact of increasing numbers of visitors to the area without the necessary additional infrastructure in place,’’ she said.

NFU Cymru’s Wrexham Group Secretary, Aled Jones, said existing infrastructure in the region is already stretched.

“Livestock farmers are especially concerned that more people utilising public footpaths through farmland may cause an increase in incidences of livestock worrying,’’ he added.

NRW’s 10-week public consultation on the proposal will run until 16 December 2024.

Welsh Labour made a manifesto pledge to create a new park in north-east Wales ahead of the 2021 Senedd elections.

Wales’ existing National Parks, Eryri, Pembrokeshire and Bannau Brycheiniog, receive 75% of their funding directly from the Welsh Government with the remainder is raised by council levies.

NRW is hosting an Agricultural and Landowners drop-in session at Llysfasi College between 3pm and 7pm on Wednesday 20 November 2024.