Sections of a local beauty spot are being cleared to allow for extra parking to cope with an increase visitor numbers.
Work is underway in the Gronant Dunes and Talacre Warren in Talacre to remove some of the trees and scrub from an area located within the Warren, behind the Talacre Community Centre.
Subject to the necessary consents being obtained by the Council, it is hoped that a portion of the cleared area will be used for temporary seasonal parking to help to relieve some of the traffic problems experienced in Talacre at peak times during the holiday season.
A thick boundary of natural vegetation will be left around the cleared site to screen the car parking area. The remainder of the area is being used to help to restore the natural sand dune habitat which the current dense undergrowth prevents. Once the busy period is over the parking area will also be restored to sand dune habitat.
The work forms part of a wider programme by Flintshire County Council, funded by the Welsh Government Rural Development Plan for Wales, to improve key visitor destinations in the County. In Talacre and Gronant, the Council has worked closely with the local community, BHP Billiton, Natural Resources Wales and local landowners and businesses to identify projects to improve the area for local people and for visitors.
Councillor Derek Butler, Cabinet Member for Economic Development, said:
“Talacre and Gronant attract large numbers of visitors each year to experience the natural beauty and to enjoy the beach. It is vitally important that all partners work together to ensure they continue to receive a high quality experience and that the natural environment of the area is safeguarded. This project is an important element in the package of improvements.”
