Holy Mackerel = talk about taking out the last major gold mining area still worth having a poke about in... I wonder..... who still has the mineral rights????????????

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Her Maj!

Another comparison - current aerial then proposed:

🔗Gwynfynydd-Gold-Mine-User-Album-Image-043[linkphoto]Gwynfynydd-Gold-Mine-User-Album-Image-043[/linkphoto][/link]

🔗Gwynfynydd-Gold-Mine-User-Album-Image-041[linkphoto]Gwynfynydd-Gold-Mine-User-Album-Image-041[/linkphoto][/link]

Planning permission for mining doesn't expire for a while, the mineral rights are vested in the Crown Estate and there are no licences currently issued for mineral extraction at Gwynfynydd.

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The steel bridge over the River Cain is made up of 3 bridges built on top of each other. The one on the top which is used is strong enough to carry about 30t and should last a fair few years. The girders are 18" deep or more and there's 4 of IIRC with 1" steel plate welded on top.

The gold belongs to the Crown, the mineral rights have been bought by the new owners I have heard to stop any future mining. The mineral rights covers the whole of the old Gwynfynnydd farm, that's all the forest behind over to the Cain and down to the stone bridge on that river. It then crosses over and follows the ridge down behind Ferndale to the boundary by the tarmac road and back up with the river to the boundary with Beddcoedwr.
The planning permission for the mining was extended for 25 years just before it closed down. I am sure that will cease to be with the change of use.

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What's the SNPA planning application reference code/number/application date, please?

What's the SNPA planning application reference code/number/application date, please?

NP5/60/6J

(that's enough to find it on the SNPA website http://www.eryri-npa.co.uk  )

Dave

I don't suppose the mine would be considered worthy of heritage listing would it?? After all, it has links with the Royals - although I can't find anything that Eng. Heritage would consider unique building wise - it's the industrial heritage association - gold mining in England (sorry - Wales) is rather unique.........

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To be honest, and I know I'm sticking my head out on this forum - it would be nice to see something done with the place as it has really deteriorated in the last year or so. It'll be nice to see Ty Mawr done up, and if they intend to keep the stone building that is also a bonus.

Got it, thanks Davel.
Interesting.

I had a walk up there today ...

The signs say "DANGER DO NOT ENTER" and are disposed either side of the public footpath - which gives the impression the path is closed. However, there are no Highways Department stoppage or closure notices and I consider the path to be open as normal.
🔗Personal-Album-166-Image-001[linkphoto]Personal-Album-166-Image-001[/linkphoto][/link] 🔗Personal-Album-166-Image-002[linkphoto]Personal-Album-166-Image-002[/linkphoto][/link]

As previously said, most of the plant and machinery has been cleared from the area by the mine buildings. However, the big Olham charging rack is still visible through the window of the office building. All the buildings have "DANGER DO NOT ENTER" signs on them.

I followed the footpath up to the road above the site. Interestingly enough there are no signs on the access track to the site (which is shown as an "Other route with public access" on the OS map and which is marked on the Applicant's Design and Access Statement - Concept Masterplan as "Non-designated path between topographical ridges retained but not open to public use.")

Dave

What's the water level like, Dave - does it look like it's low enough to get into the middle of the river with a crowbar and move rocks around? Might be about the right time for a ferkle with a gold pan during the next couple of weeks...

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The river was running quite high and the falls by the old mill were quite spectacular.

Watched some canoeists come down the river past the mine and they looked as if they were having fun. (I doubt they went down the waterfall!)

Dave

The river was running quite high and the falls by the old mill were quite spectacular.

Watched some canoeists come down the river past the mine and they looked as if they were having fun. (I doubt they went down the waterfall!)

Dave

Ah, didn't see you there, shame! - was there briefly this morning with SimonRL, Barney and MerddinEmrys.

I'm a little staggered that the ides seems to be to gain access via a single track road, the last mile or so of which is gravel. It's a pretty daft idea to put 22 chalets up there and - in my humble opinion - and even more daft idea to cart the materials (presumably including big lumps of prefabricated chalet) up such a small road...

I'll digest the planning application and documents in the next 48 hours and put up some thoughts.

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I'll digest the planning application and documents in the next 48 hours and put up some thoughts.

If Vanoord and others do this we should have a lot of good ideas for comments and then (hopefully) someone will put them together as a formal response to the planning application.

Alternatively, if everyone lodges their own response to the application, we end up with lots more and probably different objections, which might carry more weight.

I honestly don't know which approach is likely to be more effective - what do people think?

Dave

I'm a little staggered that the ides seems to be to gain access via a single track road, the last mile or so of which is gravel. It's a pretty daft idea to put 22 chalets up there and - in my humble opinion - and even more daft idea to cart the materials (presumably including big lumps of prefabricated chalet) up such a small road...

I had a brief look at the plans last night and they seem to intend to use the council road to Ty Mawr as access. The chalets are also all based around the mine and Ty Mawr and don't extend down towards Ferndale, the boundary of the property follows the Cain from the mill up towards Gwynfynydd Farm.

I'd be happy to put in two pennyworth from the Heritage viewpoint - there are a lot more than just 1 entrance on that site - the other entrances are all of immense historic value as part of the mining sett... I'll try and have a work with my pals in English Heritage on monday - has CADWR been involved or approached, does anyone know? It would be worth floating this past them too - I don't have any contacts with them, but my stonemason works with them a lot, so I'll have a word with him asap. Adrian P and Mike Moore are also very experienced on the Heritage angle, and may be able to contribute - I'll PM them and see if they have any suggestions.

Wonder whether Her Maj might object to one of the last sources of gold for future family weddings being curtailed


😉

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Incidentally, just trying to put names to faces - was anyone else around Gwynfynydd over the weekend?

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Gywnfynydd has made the front page of the Cambrian News this week - the people of Abergeirw are voicing their concerns over the impact the extra traffic will have on their valley.

Keep it coming!
Is anyone going to have a look at some form of collective AN objection?

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There may well be gold left in there, but it is unlikely to be economically worthwhile to extract it.

In addition the Countryside Council for Wales and the Environment Agency have major concerns about the possibility of the mine being reopened as it might harm water quality and affect wildlife. Of course, the argument that the area is like it is today despite considerable and unrestrained mining in the past usually falls on deaf ears.

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