A CAMPAIGN group has hit back at a Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS who poured cold water on the idea that the Cambrian Mountains should be designated as an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB) following a concerted campaign.

The Cambrian Mountains Society (CMS) hope to designate the Cambrian Mountains - which spread across Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Powys - as an AONB and handed a petition of more than 12,500 calling for the move into the Senedd in October.

On 30 November the move was debated by Senedd members, and while the petition was supported by three quarters of the MSs in the plenary session, Dwyfor Meirionnydd MS Mabon ap Gwynfor told the meeting that “setting a designation such as AONB is not going to benefit this area.”

“There is no doubt that this area is an area of outstanding natural beauty; it is glorious and full of history,” he said.

“The potential for developing a circular economy with tourist initiatives in local ownership are great.

“So, rather than a designation that sets an area in some sort of stasis, we’d much rather look at building on the good work that’s already being done.

“AONB is not simply a designation; it has a status and expectations, and those expectations fall to a great extent on local authorities in the area.

“Creating a new AONB would place additional financial pressures on Ceredigion, Powys and Carmarthenshire, and these counties are already facing grim financial times, so I doubt that they would welcome an AONB designation.”

Lorna Brazell, CMS Trustee and Secretary, called Mr ap Gwynfor’s inteverntion “disappointing”, adding that “his stated objections do not accurately reflect the reality of AONB status.”

“An AONB, whilst conserving and enhancing natural beauty, must also take account of the needs of agriculture, forestry, other rural industries, and the economic and social needs of local communities.

“It must have particular regard to promoting sustainable forms of social and economic development.

“This is the opposite of imposing stasis, as Mr ap Gwynfor seeks incorrectly to suggest.

“Existing AONBs support their local communities through all kinds of pro-business initiatives, from sponsoring major community projects and delivering skills training, to helping to raise an area’s profile with visitors and manage facilities.

“Mr ap Gwynfor gives no sound justification for his objection, because there is none.”