Urgent works to improve the Horseshoe Falls Carpark and toilet facilities

We have received the following information from Denbighshire County Council/ Clwydian Range & Dee Valley AONB with regard to carpark and toilet facility improvements.

‘KM Construction have been appointed to deliver key enhancement works that will help the site cope better with increasing visitor numbers.

This will include refurbishing the toilet facilities and drainage, additional parking spaces and improved visitor–flow between the car park and the viewing area.

They are in the process of setting up a safe-working area and will be erecting security fencing and a welfare area for their staff this week. A test-pit was also excavated last week to determine ground conditions prior to a new cesspit being delivered.

The car park will remain open during the entire process – although this will be at reduced capacity during all phases of works. Initially, the right-hand side will be closed off to vehicles, but pedestrian access will be maintained throughout. It is anticipated that the works will take place for 10 weeks (but they will shut down for 2 weeks during Christmas – 8 week construction time.).

Obviously, the toilets will have to be closed during certain phases, but we will endeavour to keep this to a minimum’.

We have been assured that this initial stage to the works will not include any height restrictions to the car park. While it is likely that the carpark barrier will be installed, the AONB team are ensuring that there is a dedicated space for larger vehicles to drop off equipment before implementing any height restrictions. This is following the feedback from the member consultation which Canoe Wales facilitated on the AONB’s behalf earlier this year. We are still engaging with the AONB to better understand what mitigations will be implemented to facilitate the use of the car park by clubs and during paddling events which were the key user groups who were likely to be most impacted by the unintended consequences of the barrier.