BikePark Wales: New 33 year lease to bring many benefits

Amidst reports of job cuts at Natural Resources Wales (NRW), it’s good to see some positive news coming from Wales: BikePark Wales has signed a new 33 year lease that will allow it to continue to operate on the site, and make the experience even better.

This is all great news for mountain bikers looking to enjoy BikePark Wales. It looks to be exactly the sort of partnership that NRW’s recent Recreation Strategy envisages, and we’ve every expectation that BikePark Wales will do a fantastic job of delivering all the benefits below. But, donning our contractual hats, it would be interesting to know how the lease has been structured, and if it provides safeguards or options to break the lease. Imagine for a moment that instead of an established and reputable bike park, the lease was with a new hot tubs and chalets company. Or a fir-cones for terrible Christmas decorations company. And they build the chalets, or collect the fir-cones, but don’t also do the re-wilding, or provide the trail access as envisaged. Would NRW be in a position to enforce the lease terms and ensure all the public or environmental benefits are realised? We hope so – it’s this kind of detail that will be important as NRW rolls out future commercial partnerships and leases.

For now, we can be happy that BikePark Wales sees a strong future ahead. Here’s the full press release.

BikePark Wales and Natural Resources Wales Sign New Lease To Rewild Mountain, Add Trails and Accommodation

BikePark Wales, the UK’s premier mountain bike venue, along with Natural Resources Wales announce stunning plan to transform 400 acres of Welsh mountainside. 

Natural Resources Wales (NRW), which manages the Welsh Government Woodland Estate, has worked closely with BikePark Wales since its first breaking trail in 2013, but a new lease signed in June 2024 is an unprecedented step forward for both parties. 

The new 33-year lease will see revenue from visiting mountain bikers invested in a Future Forest Vision that will see the vast majority of BPW’s mountain return to its natural state. The rewilding plan will see the site change in the coming decades from classic commercial forestry management to a regime that promotes biodiversity gains, improves the resilience of the forest and encourages the return of more ancient semi-natural woodland. 

This lease also ensures that BikePark Wales will remain home to the UK’s best-known trails for years, plus it will add some new trails, and mean visitors, in the future, will be able to stay overnight at the site. 

In addition to the park’s existing 46 mountain bike specific trails, visitor centre, woodland café, bike hire and bike shop, the new agreement adds planning permission for new trails (nine climbing trails, 27 downhill trails, seven linking trails, and two new skills areas), a bigger visitor area and sustainable accommodation in the form of glamping pods and chalets. Work has already started on the first of the news trails as well as an extension of the carpark. 

Martin Astley for BikePark Wales says: “Our mountain is without a doubt a stunning area, and we already have a diverse range of broadleaf trees here on our mountain.  But there is also a lot of monoculture pine forest in South Wales, the result of decades of commercial forestry. The new lease changes the entire site of BPW, and aside from the mountain bike trails through the forest, we will be encouraging and assisting the forest to return to a more natural state with our colleagues at NRW. Because of the trails, this isn’t classic ‘rewilding’ but it’s as close as we can get, and the trails will allow riders to go deep into our wilderness. What is exciting is that no one has seen what the more natural state of these hills really looks like for a couple of centuries. And now we’ll get to find out”. 

Astley continues; “Perhaps the most exciting aspect of the new lease is the opportunity to work with NRW in a unique collaboration which includes turning parts of BikePark Wales into a seed bank for other potential sites across the country. And some of the income generated by visiting riders being funnelled into a “Future Forest Vision” plan.” Astley is excited about what the future holds. “The Future Forest Vision includes creating an arboretum, where we can let Cathedral trees reach maturity, and we can improve the health and resilience of the forest by having a more diverse mix of woodland. There are flooding and water management advantages, and fire and disease benefits too. But these are just a few of the things we know about already, what is most exciting is the unknown and I look forward to finding out what secrets this project will unlock. And in addition, we can create new jobs and prosperity, boost biodiversity and create a more natural environment, as well as capturing large amounts of carbon in the forest. This really is a great example of how diversification can be positive in so many ways”.  

Elsie Grace, Head of Sustainable Commercial Development for NRW, said; “We are delighted that our successful relationship with BikePark Wales is set to continue. This partnership demonstrates how the NRW-managed estate can successfully combine commercial activity which benefits the Welsh economy and is sympathetic to the environment. This plan will develop innovative forest management techniques to support the longevity of the mature forest cover, which benefits the biking experience in the forest.”

Grace continues; “In addition to the health and wellbeing benefits of mountain biking for riders of all ages and abilities, the continued success of BikePark Wales has boosted the local economy and provided much-needed jobs for the surrounding area and links with local schools have provided recreational and educational opportunities for young people.”

Press release ends.

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