Public local inquiry confirmed for proposed Glyndŵr National Park in north-east Wales
The Welsh Government has confirmed it will appoint Planning and Environment Decisions Wales to hold a public local inquiry into the proposed Glyndŵr National Park in north-east Wales.
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Climate Change and Rural Affairs Huw Irranca-Davies MS made the announcement in a written statement today, 26 March 2026.
Deeside.com reported last week that a mandatory public inquiry would be required before any decision could be made, after a Welsh Government planning report confirmed that statutory objections from local authorities triggered the inquiry process under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949.
Natural Resources Wales made the Designation Order for the proposed park on 12 January 2026, following a statutory consultation that drew 1,678 formal responses, with 53% in favour and 31% opposed.
Among residents living within the proposed park boundary, support was lower, at 47% in favour and 35% against.
Mr Irranca-Davies said officials have now begun work on the terms of reference, processes and procedures for the inquiry, and are taking steps to identify an appropriate person to run it.
No date for the inquiry has been set and no inspector has been named.
The proposed Glyndŵr National Park would cover approximately 927 square kilometres of north-east Wales, based around the existing Clwydian Range and Dee Valley National Landscape and expanded to include additional upland and coastal areas.
It would sit across parts of Flintshire, Denbighshire, Wrexham and Powys, and includes the Gronant and Talacre dunes on the Flintshire coast.
Wrexham County Borough Council formally objected to the plans in December 2025, raising concerns about financial burdens on the authority, governance arrangements, pressure on housing, roads and services, and the potential impact on the Welsh language.
Denbighshire County Council formally opposed the proposals in November 2025, citing risks from increased tourism on existing infrastructure, restrictions on housing delivery, and the financial pressures facing the council.
Powys County Council also formally objected, highlighting concerns over accessibility, socio-economic impacts, loss of planning income, and effects on Welsh-speaking communities.
Flintshire County Council raised a series of formal concerns about the proposal, including the cost of establishing and running a new national park authority, a lack of clarity over governance and funding arrangements, and the risk of placing greater development pressure on parts of Flintshire outside the park boundary.
Council officers warned that designation would trigger an immediate review of Flintshire’s Local Development Plan, which was adopted in January 2023.
The council also raised concerns about higher house prices, reduced land available for housing and employment, and additional administrative demands at a time of significant budget pressure.
Flintshire County Council was asked whether it submitted a formal statutory objection during the notification period.
In his statement, Mr Irranca-Davies said Natural Resources Wales was satisfied that evidence collected demonstrates the areas within the proposed park meet the statutory tests for designation, including natural beauty and opportunities for open-air recreation.
He cited figures showing Wales’s three existing national parks attract around 12 million visitors annually and contribute approximately £1 billion to the Welsh economy.
Mr Irranca-Davies said he understood the concerns local authorities and other stakeholders have about the establishment of a new national park authority, describing the proposal as a “big change” designed to have a significant positive impact on the natural environment.
The designation of a new national park covering the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley was a Welsh Labour manifesto commitment at the 2021 Senedd election and was included in the Welsh Government’s 2021 to 2026 Programme for Government.
The Senedd election takes place on 7 May 2026.
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