Approval for plan to extend Pen y Fan car park

PLANS to expand the main access point for visitors making their way up Pen y Fan in the Brecon Beacons have been given the green light.

With more than 350,000 people visiting South Wales’ highest peak every year, plans to expand Pont ar Daf car park – just off the A470 – have been approved.

Plans included expanding the number of spaces to around 260 spaces, with time-limited free bays for those using the toilet facilities, extra parking provision for disabled users, minibuses, coaches and cyclists, an electric vehicle charging point, and a dedicated space for mountain rescue teams dealing with emergencies in the area.

Plans unveiled in January included a National Trust scheme to increase the number of parking spaces from around 50 to 263. The current car park was said to cause “acute strains in the area”.

The National Trust previously said they wanted to ensure everyone who visits the area can begin their journey in a safe and fit-for-purpose car park at a more welcoming site, which is better reflective of Wales as a tourist destination.

National Trust’s planning application was approved yesterday by the Brecon Beacons National Park’s planning committee.

Paul Boland, general manager for Mid & SE Wales Coast & Countryside at National Trust, said: “A new car park has long been needed and will transform the visitor welcome at Pont ar Daf.

“We’ll now be working on securing the funds needed to deliver this project.”

For more information, you can visit www.nationaltrust.org.uk/ brecon-beacons/