Admission charges considered for Cwmcarn Forest Drive

Visitors to Cwmcarn Forest Drive could be charged an £8 admission fee under plans to bring the management of the popular destination under council control.

The visitor attraction, which is owned and managed by NRW, has been closed since 2015 to allow for the felling of about 150,000 trees affected by the disease Phytophthora Amorum.

But NRW is looking to reopen the Forest Drive this spring, following investments to enhance facilities and for resurfacing work.

Caerphilly County Borough Council is being asked to take on the operational management of the Forest Drive, as part of a collaborative arrangement with NRW.

A report coming before the council’s cabinet proposes entering into a partnership for a trial period of two years.

An admission price of £8 per car, £11 for minibuses and £25 for coaches – which includes parking fees on council operated car parks at Cwmcarn – is being proposed.

The report, which will be considered by the council’s cabinet on Wednesday, forecasts that the arrangement could generate a profit of £14,872, but a worst case scenario predicts a loss of £5,128 depending on visitor numbers.

Any profits or losses would be shared equally between Caerphilly Council and NRW.

“There are financial risks associated with establishing a partnership to reopen the drive and forecast budgets need to establish a realistic model of potential running costs to ensure that the partnership with NRW to reopen the Forest Drive does not create a financial liability for the authority,” the council report says.

“A trial period of two years is proposed as part of the collaboration agreement to allow a realistic time frame within which to assess the income and expenditure requirements of the site.”

The partnership would be reviewed after the two-year trial to establish whether it would be extended.

The plans would see the drive open for an eight month season from March to October.

It is estimated the site will attract between 7,000 and 10,000 cars per year – equating to between 14,000 and 20,000 visitors- although numbers are expected to be lower in the first year due to Covid restrictions.

Cwmcarn Forest is a tourist destination which includes walking trails, cycling trails, a fishing lake and an adventure playground.

The Forest Drive, also known as the Scenic Drive, was previously a popular visitor attraction in the South East region of Wales.