Connectivity, Productivity and Profitability
Baileys and Partners welcomed a group of clients and fellow professionals to Gors Y Gedol Hall for an interactive day looking at opportunities in land, leisure and energy markets in Wales, with presentations from a range of interesting and informative speakers. The inclement afternoon weather (great for the hydro!) did not put off a good number of attendees taking part in the afternoon walk to view a recently developed hydro scheme utilising a “homemade” turbine.
The day was a great success with engaging conversations, questioning of the speakers and networking.
The days events:
Arriving at 9.30am, guests were welcomed to Gors y Gedol Hall with a roaring fire and coffee on arrival and a chance to mingle. The beautiful Elizabethan Manor House was the ideal venue for the theme of the day ‘Connectivity, Productivity and Profitability’, attendees were encouraged to look around the Hall which has recently been converted to luxury self catering accommodation.
Ed Bailey (E S Bailey and Sons) welcomed guests and gave an introduction to the day, with a brief history of the Gors y Gedol Estate.
The day began by discussing innovative farm management and connectivity. With first hand accounts of innovative farm management and connectivity from Ainsley Baker (Kite Consulting), Edmund Bailey (Baileys and Partners), David Phillips (Michaelston yn Fedw CIC) and Matt Ward (Runcomm). All speakers gave presentations about their different experiences including farm management, delivering community broadband and developing the ‘Sweaty pound’ in Snowdonia.
Innovation in Leisure was next on the agenda with; Aled Lloyd and Richard Thomas of Snowdonia National Park Authority/ Parc Eryri discussing planning and development opportunities within the emerging LDP and hydro electric scheme planning applications. Gwion Llwyd (Dioni) presented on holiday accommodation potential from mansions to pigsties and with Edmund Bailey (Baileys and Partners) ending the session discussing high-end glamping – a compare and contrast between Parc Eryri and policies adopted in the Peak District National Park. The audience made the most of the time for questions which were predominantly directed towards the Planning Authority regarding future opportunities in the Park.
After questions and discussion refreshing tea, coffee and delicious cakes were provided by Ellie Wilkes.
The final session had a focus on Energy. Gareth Harrison from Cyd Ynni talked about the community schemes he is supporting and the opportunities for selling power. This was followed by a talk by John Hewlett and Edmund Bailey (Baileys and Partners) about the case study hydro scheme – a collaboration of engineering, ecology, archaeology and arboriculture. Edmund Bailey also spoke about the future of energy and the fast changing market with the impending end of the Feed in Tariff but the opportunities available for selling power and changes in technology and businesses/organisations involved in the energy market.
A delicious lunch was then provided at Ysgethin Inn, featuring pork from Baileys and Partners Tudurs’ home-reared pigs!
Following lunch attendees were encouraged to forget about the rain and and take the short walk to have a look around the Gors Y Gedol hydro turbine house and ask questions. It was a pleasure to show the turbine house to a wider audience and to discuss the development of the scheme with all of the challenges it presented.
We were pleased that the following organisations could attend to share their involvement with the Gors y Gedol Hydro Scheme: AEON Archaeology, Gritten Ecology, Sylvan Resources and EA Hughes Construction.
In addition a big thank you to Ellie Wilkes for providing the lovely refreshments, Ysgethin Inn for hosting lunch, Gors y Gedol for hosting the days event and to all the attendees who came. We have received some lovely feedback about the day, and we hope to host another event in the future as we felt that the information sharing, learning, and networking benefited everyone attending.
If you were not able to attend but wish to hear a little more about the day then please get in touch, we look forward to hearing from you.
