Swansea Ski Dream Over But New Welsh Indoor and Dry Slope Centre Plans Still Live

The site of the once-popular Swansea dry ski slope that was later earmarked for Wales’ first indoor snow centre is up for sale.

The 3/5 acre site, near the M4 motorway, is on the market for £295,000 via Glanmor Chartered Surveyors

Swansea dry ski centre opened in 1989, coming in the later wave of dry slope developments in the UK which boomed from the mid-1960s to mid-1980s. It had a 125m dry slope and was initially very popular but closed a little over a decade later in the early 2000s.

A business called Multi Sports Resorts, submitted the proposal to convert the dry slope site to an indoor snow centre in 2004. They said at the time that the centre would use world-first technology for a snowmaking system that allows skiers and boarders to enjoy the slopes in plus temperatures.  The complex was also intended to be powered by renewable energy (solar panels and wind turbine on site) and use recycled rainwater to make the snow as the development marketing itself as a green, ‘eco-friendly’ project.  The main run was to be 200m long by 50m wide with an adjacent 75m training run. 

Like main others the plans were eventually dropped in the aftermath of the worldwide economic crash.

"This former ski slope site has been granted full planning consent for a total of seven 1,000 square foot units. Situated in a highly prominent position close to the Swansea.com stadium and to the rear of Morfa Retail Park,” Glanmore say in their listing.

Despite the demise of Swansea’s ski slope and snowdome plans, Wales remains home to some of the UK’s only remaining live new indoor snow slope and dry slope centre plans.

Rhydycar West, planned for a former quarry site near Merthyr Tydfil, 30 miles from Swansea, will be one of the world’s largest indoor snow centres, at around 500 metres in length.  The latest plan also includes a tropical indoor water park in the development. Marvel, the company behind the project, acquired the 575 acre site in 2013. 

They just provided an update on the project, which got full permission a year ago, saying they were finalising details before construction begins.

"Our team is aware of the considerable anticipation and excitement surrounding the Rhydycar West project, a sentiment we wholeheartedly share. We are also very much looking forward to concluding the planning process as soon as possible," a spokesperson told media.

There is also a proposed adventure park development currently known as Wildfox Resorts in the Afan Valley, about 20 miles from Swansea and 35 miles from Capital Cardiff. At one time this included a major dry slope development which was later scaled back and the current website does not clearly show any dry ski slope element. The developers have been approached for clarification.

Wales does also still have half-a-dozen established dry slopes still operating and you can also hike up and ski or board Welsh hills and mountains when the snow is good.