Public meeting set for Greenfield Valley fishing project

Greenfield Valley Trust has announced plans to reintroduce fishing at the scenic Meadow Mill Pool, a popular spot nestled in the heart of the 70-acre Holywell country park.

The move follows a successful local campaign pushing for greater fishing opportunities for young people in the area.

The Trust’s Chair, Brenda Harvey, expressed excitement about the initiative, saying, “There was a local campaign about fishing opportunities for young people in the Valley, and so we tried to see how this could be fitted into our 10-year plan of improvements.”

“Our solution is to focus fishing on the Meadow Mill Pool, which is close to the Valley’s Bryn Celyn car park.”

“We are aiming to create leisure fishing opportunities where people, and young people in particular, can enjoy a few quiet hours fishing.”

The project aims to cater to young and novice fishers rather than seasoned anglers, as the Valley’s pools are not suited for competitive fishing.

The initial phase of the scheme includes creating four fishing pegs, with a long-term vision of expanding access further.

Environmental consultancy firm TEP has been tasked with developing the plan. TEP’s Graeme Atherton outlined the scheme: “We have devised a scheme to create four fishing pegs with disabled access from the car park as a first phase, with hopefully more pegs and a footpath all around the pool to follow in the future.”

“The proximity of the Bryn Celyn car park and its access is really helpful, both for providing access to carry out the works and for making sure that the fishing pegs are accessible to everyone.”

The project is partially funded by the UK Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, with further contributions from Flintshire County Council and Greenfield Valley Trust.

The plan for the Meadow Mill Fishing Pool will be presented at a public meeting scheduled for 6.30pm on Monday, 16th September 2024, in the Victorian Schoolroom near the Greenfield Valley Visitor Centre.

Local residents and fishing enthusiasts are encouraged to attend and offer feedback.

Greenfield Valley is steeped in history, with the pools originally serving as reservoirs for water that powered the mills throughout the Valley.

Today, they stand as part of the Valley’s picturesque landscape, which is dotted with remnants of its industrial past.

The fishing initiative forms part of a broader programme designed to enhance the Valley for public enjoyment.

The Greenfield Valley Heritage Park Improvement Programme has received a total of £749,275 from the Shared Prosperity Fund, with additional support from local authorities and the Trust.

For those unable to attend the meeting, the plans will also be available online via the Greenfield Valley website from the same date.