swansea second report.doc

A preliminary assessment of the environmental and socio- economic impacts of the proposed development of a tourist resort at Oxwich Bay Kamil Alboshoka 25th April, 2011 Abstract In this report, I want to explain the location and geographical of Oxwich Bay and all natures around the beach. I also will examine the activities and aspects of the proposed development that are likely to have adverse or beneficial effect (both during construction and operation) on the environment, community, the local economy and infrastructure; which important features/ aspects of the area are also likely to be affected, if the development goes ahead and evaluate current facilities in Oxwich Bay. Introduction Oxwich Bay is a bay on the south of the Gower Peninsula, Wales. Its landscape features sand dunes, salt marshes and woodland. Oxwich Bay includes a 2.5 mile long sandy beach, accessible from the village of Oxwich. It is a popular for swimming and water sports. There is a public footpath along the cliffs from Oxwich Bay, around Oxwich point, and to Port Eynon Bay. Oxwich Bay also is a scenic bay with an extensive sandy beach. According to the BBC report on 26 April 2011, Oxwich Bay is a popular tourism and recreational area for the local community as well as tourists from all over the UK and abroad. The National Trust has a remit to manages protects the beach. On my visit I found that the beach is popular with paddlers, bathers and many high-speed boats. Oxwich Bay is plenty of sand, sea and space for everyone, even on the hottest summer day. The beach backs onto dunes, but if its peace and quiet that you are looking for; do not go to the Eastern end of Oxwich due to little facilities there. Otherwise, the Oxwich Bay Hotel stands at the western end of the beach and provides snacks, meals and refreshments. O Oxwich Bay Oxwich Bay also has some other services and facilities for tourists and local community. For instance, there is car parking with small area where double parking is possible, however, total car parking spaces are not large and do fill up in peak season, there is gorgeous beach, just one café with outside seating and a couple of refreshments and ice cream kiosks, the area a National Nature Reserve is a haven for all sorts of wildlife from birds to badgers and many insects- some of which are very rare. It will be also good opportunity to see some of region’s most interesting habitats up close. The development plan will increase the facilities in the beach such as making new gardens, sunset View Bar and restaurants; build something large such as a building or grading the beach to give better opportunity for tourism and local residents in the area. There is also plan to make beach resort complex and Hotels, make a large expensive boat to use for sailing, racing and travelling for pleasure, otherwise there are possibilities to make more bars and also car parking in the area. I also suggest that golf course or any other recreation in the area will effect positively on the environment, whilst at the same time having negative effect on infrastructure of the area. For example, I imply that new buildings near the beach will be partially unsafe due to coastal erosion, so it will be much better if we build the buildings slightly higher than the earth near the beach because erosion of the new buildings will decrease. On the other hand, the planned tourist resort complex will accommodate a vast number of tourism and also local people at new Hotels and other tourist places. It will be necessary to remove mud or sand from the bottom of a river, which will encourage tourism to stay more time in the beach and obviously will effect positively on economy for people who live in the area. Many job opportunities will be created in the area and will increase work possibilities if there are new restaurants and other dining halls in the west of Oxwich Bay and the new hotel opposite the beach and near to the gulf course. From my observation in Oxwich Bay, these new possibilities whilst bringing in more tourists and thus boosting the economy and reducing unemployment in the area, would bring the disadvantages of creating congestion and reducing the peaceful environment the current inhabitants experience. Moreover, the increase in visitors may increase levels of pollution of the environment and impact the social culture of residents. I did notice during my visit many residents around Oxwich Bay welcoming tourist in their area. I presume they know that tourist can bring better economy for the area, but they do not support changing the culture of the area by new visitors. Conclusion To conclude, I want to suggest that the process of making new facilities, such as hotel in Oxwich Bay, has an advantage and disadvantage for the area. I imply that the negatives in these new possibilities are extremely small compared with the positives, which is changed of location of the area common to a region where economic growth due to the transfer of money for the reconstruction of the area have added hotels, restaurants, bars and other things help to change the shape to the village Sublime and sophisticated. I suggest that there needs to be an initial audit of these developments in order to that planning authorities can assess the impact on the Nature Reserve and the life of residents. The balance of the potential positive and negative impact of the development will support development of the area, but responsibility for the Protection of Nature Reserve and its wild life must be clearly assigned to a public body or arm of government. References http://www.bbc.co.uk/wales/southwest/nature/thingstodo/walks/pages/oxwich1.shtml