This spatial dataset contains the digital boundaries of National Parks in Wales. National Parks were established to protect beautiful and relatively wild countryside by:
- Preserving the characteristic beauty of the landscape;
- Providing access and facilities for public open-air enjoyment;
- Protecting wildlife, buildings and places of architectural and historic interest; whilst allowing sustainable farming use to continue as before.
Powers to create National Parks were established under the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act 1949. In Wales, since 1991, the designation of National Parks are proposed by former Countryside Council for Wales (CCW) which now forms part of, Natural Resources Wales (NRW), and confirmed by the First Minister for the Welsh Government. Since 1996 the Parks have been administered by independent free-standing authorities. With the coming of GIS and its use in government departments and commercial companies mobilising the data in this way, advances the protection of these sites and the efficiency of decision making. The three National Parks have been designated over a number of years, Snowdonia 1951 (variation 1974); Pembrokeshire Coast 1952 (Variation 1989); Brecon Beacons 1955 (V
ariation 1966). The data has been held digitally since mid 1990s. The boundary has been transferred to OS MasterMap by NRW but there has been joint checking by NRW staff and the relevant Park authority staff.
