BACKWARD STEP FOR TOURISM INDUSTRY
Switching Wylfa Newydd workers’ digs will put pressure on other accommodation providers in the area says boss of sector promotion group
A TOURISM boss claims the latest Wylfa Newydd construction proposals will put extra pressure on tourism space on Anglesey during the 10-year build programme.
Jim Jones, managing director of North Wales Tourism, says the dropping of proposals to place nuclear workers at the planned Land and Lakes sites in Holyhead could increase pressure on other holiday accommodation.
Under the new proposals there is expected to be up to 4,000 workers in the Site Campus (located next to Wylfa) and approximately 5,000 workers located off-site (3,000 in existing accommodation, and 2,000 home based workers).
Proposals to place staff at Land and Lakes - before turning the site into holiday accommodation - and the former Shell site in Rhosgoch have been dropped from the new consultation, in favour of the single site at Wylfa.
Mr Jones said the current proposal could see extra holiday accommodation taken up by construction workers and Anglesey’s tourism sector could be adversely impacted.
But Horizon said off-site accommodation will be around 3% of the total available supply on the island.
Mr Jones said: “The Wylfa Newydd development is a huge investment into the economy of Anglesey and it has the potential to be a great catalyst project. But there is also a risk that, if thousands of workers are housed in holiday accommodation across the island, this could be a backward step for our tourism industry.
“As a membership body representing accommodation providers across Anglesey our job is to ensure our members are aware of the issues at stake and that their views are heard.”
Tourism is one of Anglesey’s main sources of employment and revenue. The sector employs around 4,000 people and generates in the region of £260 million every year.
The island welcomes more than 1.5m holidaymakers every year.
In partnership with the Anglesey Tourism Association and the Destination Anglesey Partnership, North Wales Tourism will host an open consultation day for Anglesey tourism sector on June 15.
It will offer an opportunity for Anglesey tourism businesses to agree a mandate which will then be expressed to Welsh Government.
A further statement will be issued after this meeting. Horizon’s third consultation runs until June 22.
Richard Foxhall, Stakeholder Relations Manager for Horizon, said: ‘We are very aware of concerns in the accommodation sector and welcome further feedback on these.
“However, we firmly believe that our refined proposals, which will see construction workers accommodated at one site rather than five, will be easier to manage and reduces possible impacts more widely across the island.
“These proposals, which have been developed in light of feedback received through previous consultations, will enable us to accommodate up to 4,000 workers on site, meaning that the demand on off-site accommodation will be around 3% of the total available supply.
“The first phase, of 1,000 beds at the Site Campus will be ready for occupation in 2020 ahead of the main construction workforce arriving, ensuring there is no adverse effect. Additional modules will be added as the workforce increases.
“We are confident that these proposals are the best solution to accommodating the construction workforce, providing opportunity for the private and tourism sectors, and enabling us to deliver a world-class nuclear power station which will employ 850 people until at least 2085.”
The tourism meeting will take place at on Thursday June 15 at 2pm in Llangefni Old Town Hall: Menter Mon/ Annog Cyf, Llangefni Town Hall, Buckley Square, Llangefni, Anglesey.