The Mail on Sunday and Saga readers favourite conservation organisation,The National Trust, still undeterred after their last ill advised venture into north Wales estate ownership,continue their campaign to pull the wool ( Welsh mountain breed I hope) over the media and general public's eyes with regard to their latest madcap adventure. The pointless purchase at way over the odds,of a Snowdonia Farmstead in north Wales.
Several years ago,the trust, displayed a similar lamentable lack of understanding of North Wales land and property values,planning regulations and access agreements when it paid over four million pounds for an estate which included part of the summit area of Yr Wyddfa (Snowdon), the highest mountain in Wales. The ludicrous price paid included a one million pound donation from Welsh Hollywood actor, Sir Anthony Hopkins.
Now the trust have called in another Welsh Hollywood star,Catherine Zeta Jones who in a statement claims......
: ''The National Trust plays a key role in protecting and managing the Welsh countryside, the beauty and landscape of Snowdonia is truly unique and we have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to protect Llyndy Isaf in this stunning part of Wales for future generations. ''If we don't act now the threat of commercial development could spoil the tranquility of this special part of Snowdonia. Please support the campaign.''
Cynics might ask why the multi millionairess and wife of Hollywood actor Micheal Douglas- who is not exactly on the bones of his arse himself- doesn't get her cheque book out and buy the estate herself and donate it to a conservation organisation which knows what it's doing. The John Muir Trust springs to mind. At the same time the National Trust was being ripped off on the Snowdon purchase,The John Muir Trust were buying a far larger estate on Ben Nevis in Scotland for one tenth of the price.
Given the strict planning regulations within the Snowdonia National Park and the access allowed under the Crow act,the farmstead has little commercial value beyond it's current agricultural status with limited camping on site. There is no chance of a Tesco hypermarket, jet skiers on Llyn Dinas or a Nicholas van Hoogstraten character banning access across the holding.
The National Trust paying over the odds for a holding they don't need is not protecting the natural environment or guaranteeing access.
Meanwhile back in la-la land. The National Trust PR machine is working overtime feeding newspapers like the Telegraph with it's beige agenda. As one wag commented..'The National Trust should stick to running stately homes and running tea and scone gardens ' .
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→The National Trust: Still crazy after all these years!
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→https://national-grid-news.blogspot.com/2011/05/national-trust-still-crazy-after-all.html
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