Denbighshire County Council is proposing an Aires project which would see facilities for motorhomes added to six locations with the goal of preventing unauthorised overnight stays in the area and supporting local tourism.
Denbighshire is found in the north-east of Wales, with the country as a whole a popular touring spot for ‘van owners, as seen by the success of Red Kite Touring Park in our Top 100 Sites Guide 2026, where it was named one of the best motorhome sites in the UK.
The scheme from Denbighshire County Council, which is still a proposal at the moment, has been dubbed the “Denbighshire Motorhome Aire” project. It is looking to give motorhome and campervan owners better facilities, with planning applications to be submitted at the six locations to allow for the necessary infrastructure to be installed.
In a post on Denbighshire County Council’s news site, the Council said it was also aiming to “prevent the environmental and social problems caused by illegal camping” by adding these facilities. The post further outlined the six locations where they were looking to add the facilities:
- Quay Street, Rhyl
- Marine Drive (East Parade), Rhyl
- Barkby Beach, Prestatyn
- Park Street, Ruthin
- Green Lane, Corwen
- Mill Street, Llangollen
These six areas have been chosen as they are “known hot-spots for unauthorised overnight stays”, and are popular with tourists, while there is the added benefit that motorhomers staying at these Aires would be able to support the local economy, as there are nearby local businesses too.
The aim of the project is to give motorhomers a stay of up to two nights at the designated spots, which are “locally adjacent to towns and existing facilities”. They would provide a safe space for an overnight stay, with somewhere for fresh water to be refilled and somewhere for waste water to be emptied.
The Council has said these would be simple hardstanding areas, with no barbecues, fires, tents or awnings permitted.
It is hoped that motorhomers would be able to pay for these either through onsite meters or through a new tariff on the existing car parking app.
The work would all be subject to planning permission being granted, and would also see steps taken to prevent unauthorised parking in the future at these locations.
Paul Jackson, Head of Highways & Environmental Services, said: “We know that the use of motorhomes has increased, especially since the Covid pandemic, where everybody took on staycations in the UK. The project’s innovative proposals will help provide great facilities for those wishing to travel across Denbighshire and provide a fantastic boost for tourism and businesses where these sites are located once they come online”.
At the same time, and at the other end of the principality, Pembrokeshire County Council has launched a trial scheme to allow motorhomes and campervans to stay for a maximum of one night at Goodwick Moor car park in Fishguard.
Under the terms of the trial, which lasts for two years, an overnight stay will cost £10, and no awnings can be erected, or furniture or gas bottles stored outside the vehicle. All rules are displayed on signs which have already been erected.
The site, which currently does not have any waste or recycling provisions, was chosen because it is close to Fishguard port.
These two developments have come at a time when motorhomes have been banned from the Falls of Falloch and overnight parking restrictions have been added at Eryri National Park to prevent unauthorised stays.
Written with contributions from Peter Baber.
Lead image: Alamy Stock Photo
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