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Ar 24 Mehefin, penderfynodd Pwyllgor Cynllunio a Mynediad Awdurdod Parc Cenedlaethol Eryri (APCE) roi caniatâd cynllunio ar gyfer cynllun trydan dŵr yn un o raeadrau mwyaf eiconig y Parc Cenedlaethol – Rhaeadr y Cwm, uwchben Llan Ffestiniog. Dyma gynllun y mae Cymdeithas Eryri a sefydliadau eraill o’r un anian wedi’i wrthwynebu’n gyson: ar adegau, byddai bron i 70% o’r dŵr yn cael ei ddargyfeirio o’r rhaeadr i bibell blastig, gan fygwth y profiad synhwyraidd a’r amgylchedd unigryw sy’n gysylltiedig â’r lle arbennig hwn.

Saif y rhaeadr o fewn Safle o Ddiddordeb Gwyddonol Arbennig (SoDdGA) Cwm Cynfal ac mae'n rhan o Ardal Cadwraeth Arbennig (SAC) ac Ardal Gwarchodaeth Arbennig (SPA) ehangach y Migneint–Arenig–Dduallt. Mae sefydliadau amgylcheddol wedi mynegi pryderon drwy gydol y broses ymgeisio ynghylch effeithiau niweidiol posibl llai o lif dŵr ar ecoleg sensitif yr amgylchedd lleol, yn enwedig y niwed a allai gael ei achosi i rywogaethau neilltuol o fryoffytau sydd eisoes yn prinhau fwyfwy.

Roedd Cymdeithas Eryri yn siomedig iawn gyda chanlyniad y bleidlais – ond roedd ganddi bryderon difrifol hefyd ynghylch agweddau ar y broses gwneud penderfyniadau. Mae hyn yn cynnwys methiant APCE i egluro a chymhwyso gofynion polisi cynllunio cenedlaethol (Polisi Cynllunio Cymru: PCC) ynghylch yr amgylchiadau y gellir rhoi cymeradwyaeth ar gyfer cynigion sy'n niweidio SoDdGA ac i fodloni'r gofyniad bod "amgylchiadau cwbl eithriadol" ar gyfer rhoi caniatâd, fel y nodir hefyd yn PCC.

O ganlyniad, yn ystod yr wythnosau yn syth ar ôl y bleidlais, cymerodd Cymdeithas Eryri a'n cefnogwyr amser i geisio cyngor cyfreithiol ac ystyried ein hopsiynau'n ofalus, a'r unig opsiwn oedd gwneud cais i'r Uchel Lys am Adolygiad Barnwrol o’r caniatâd cynllunio a roddwyd gan APCE. Yn y pen draw, penderfynon ni o'r diwedd nad oedd gennym ddewis. Roedd hon yn frwydr rhy bwysig i beidio â mynd â hi ymhellach.

On 24 June, Eryri National Park Authority’s (‘ENPA’) Planning & Access Committee resolved to grant planning permission for a hydro-electric scheme at one of the National Park’s most iconic waterfalls – Rhaeadr y Cwm, above Llan Ffestiniog. This is a scheme that Cymdeithas Eryri and other like-minded organisations have consistently opposed: at times, nearly 70% of the water would be diverted away from the waterfall into a plastic pipe, threatening the sensory experience and unique environment associated with this special place.

The waterfall is located in the Cwm Cynfal Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and forms part of the wider Migneint–Arenig–Dduallt Special Area of Conservation (SAC) and Special Protection Area (SPA). Environmental organisations have raised concerns throughout the application process around the potential harmful impacts of reduced waterflows on the sensitive ecology of the local environment, notably the harm that could be caused to rare and declining species of bryophytes.

Cymdeithas Eryri was hugely disappointed by the outcome of the vote – but also had grave concerns about aspects of the decision-making. This includes ENPA’s failure to explain and apply the requirements of national planning policy (Planning Policy Wales: PPW) regarding the circumstances in which approval for proposals damaging an SSSI can be granted and to satisfy the requirement that there are “wholly exceptional circumstances” for granting permission, as also set out in PPW.

As a result, in the weeks immediately following the vote, Cymdeithas Eryri and our supporters took time to seek legal advice and carefully consider our options, with the only recourse being to apply to the High Court for a Judicial Review of ENPA’s grant of planning permission. Ultimately, we finally decided that we had no choice. This was a fight too important not to take further.

Rydym yn ddiolchgar i'r glymblaid o grwpiau amgylcheddol sydd wedi helpu i gefnogi ein hymgyrchu Cwm Cynfal dros gyfnod hir, gan gynnwys Ymddiriedolaeth Natur Gogledd Cymru, Save our Rivers, Plantlife, Buglife a'r British Mountaineering Council.

We are grateful to the coalition of environmental groups who have helped support our Cwm Cynfal campaigning over a long period of time, including North Wales Wildlife Trust, Save our Rivers, Plantlife, Buglife and the British Mountaineering Council.