The man who brought Center Parcs to the UK and led the development of the Afan Valley Adventure Resort has said he will not walk away from the project despite it becoming embroiled in a financial quagmire.
Peter Moore, who worked with financier Gavin Woodhouse to design the £200m resort, has said he will continue taking the project forward due to its “undoubted commercial appeal” and because it was “too important to the local communities to “let it fail”.
Speaking to the Local Democracy Reporting Service he said: “As far as I’m concerned, nothing has changed regarding this wonderful project.
“So much great work has been done to take it to this point and the undoubted commercial appeal of this unique destination resort will make it something far too important to the local communities to let it fail through no weakness in the concept itself.
“The politicians, consultants and organisations involved in the projects have all played their part in bringing the adventure resort this far.
“It’s a stunning project in the beautiful Afan Valley – and I am certainly not going to walk away.”
Mr Moore, who resigned as the non-executive chairman of leisure at Northern Powerhouse Developments, told The Guardian he had resigned due to recent allegations causing “understandable concern” to many of the organisations involved in delivering the Afan Valley project.
The insolvency firm Duff & Phelps was recently appointed interim manager of Northern Powerhouse Developments Ltd .
It comes after the firm was appointed to manage another three of Mr Woodhouse’s firms – MBI Hawthorn Care Limited, MBI Clifton Moor Limited and Afan Valley Limited earlier this month.
An investigation by The Guardian and ITV News raised serious concerns in June over Mr Woodhouse’s businesses which involved care homes and hotels, highlighting a multi-million-pound “black hole”.
At the time Mr Woodhouse, who owns Northern Powerhouse Developments, defended himself against the investigation’s claims, insisting the resort would still be built.
What the people behind the resort had to say earlier this year:
The £200m resort would involve 600 lodges/apartments, a 100-bed hotel, restaurants and a vast range of adventure activities on a 325-acre former forestry plantation at Pen-y-Bryn, by Croeserw and Cymer.
The activities range from alpine sports and white water rafting to rock climbing and bike trails.
It gained conditional outline planning permission in March.
A Neath Port Talbot Council spokesman said those involved in the resort had until September 18 to comply with the resolution made by the planning committee.
It is understood that if the further information required by the planning conditions is not submitted by September 18, the application will be referred back to the planning committee where it can then either grant an extension, if applied for, or refuse planning consent.
Mr Woodhouse has been approached for comment.
