Further questions have been raised about the Welsh Government's decision to spend £4..25m on a farm in Powys. Gilestone Farm has been purchased for the Green Man Festival to have a "permanent home" in Wales.
The farm, which has its own colourful history, will become a base for the festival but the event itself will not move from near Crickhowell. Instead, two other events for up to 3,000 people will be held there twice a year, and a brewery will be built. It will remain a working farm and glamping venue. The festival's founder will also live on the site.
The farm went on the market with an estate agent in April 2020 with a £3.25m asking price. The brochure from Charleston's describes it as "one of the finest lowland farms in the County comprising a substantial period Grade II listed eight bedroomed farmhouse, an extensive range of traditional and modern farm buildings set in 242 acres of highly productive arable and pasture alongside the River Usk." The Welsh Government paid £4.25m for it.
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Conservative leader Andrew RT Davies has raised questions about the scheme asking why no business plan from Green Man prior to purchase was required, "they won't say whether it was Welsh Government who approached Green Man, and no Welsh Minister has ever even visited the site in an official capacity".
"Another question that needs to be asked is why Welsh Government paid £4.25million for a farm that was valued at £3.25million less than two years earlier. More clarity is required from Labour ministers as to where this magic million pounds has come from."
He also said Welsh Government's 'crown body' status means they are not liable to pay Land Transaction Tax which, according the Welsh Government's own calculator, has saved them £232,750.
In May, Ms Stewart appeared before the Commons' Welsh Affairs Committee and was asked about the farm. It was put to her by Conservative MP Robin MIllar that "Welsh Government have secured the site for the festival".
To that she replied: "No, the Green Man is not moving there. Like I said, we cover other things apart from festival organisation. I cannot really talk about it, to be honest with you, so if we could move on from that subject. What I can say is that the Green Man is not going to be moving there. As a brand, the Green Man is a multitude of things. It is training. It is food and beverages. It is events. It is climate change. It is science. I think the idea, if it goes forward, is that we would be developing those things in that new space."
It has emerged that as of June 8, 2022, no Welsh Government Minister had ever visited the site in a ministerial capacity. The Welsh Conservatives have also published minutes from a meeting held between community councillors from Talybont-on-Usk community council and Fiona Stewart and Ian Fielder of the Green Man Festival Ltd on May 15.
In minutes of that meeting it says that the farm was sold to Welsh Government by Charles Weston and was a private sale on a 99-year lease and no changes will be made until 2023. In the meeting Ms Stewart said she would live on the farm.
The minutes read: "The Welsh Government purchased the farm to help generate the economy in rural Wales of which Powys is a part. The Green Man Festival is seen by the Welsh Government as having the ability and credentials to generate more money into the rural economy."
The plans are for part of the property will remain a working farm. Green Man Festival will be employing new farm tenants and carry out the process. Tenancy will be open to application. They do not know as yet how many jobs the venture will create. The land will not be changed into something else; it will build on what is already there, which is farming and glamping. There are no plans for any buildings, however, there will be an onsite brewery. They continue to hold weddings and running events. The minutes say: "GMF is not just a music festival event but a broader business. It also has the Einstein Garden engaging others in science and a research organisation concentrating on science, sustainability and climate change."
The type of events will be with art collaborations and creative industries, workshops and the like. Some events will be between 1,000 and 3,000 attendees and up to two a year. "The community council will be given prior notice of all events, months or even a year in advance."
After the meeting the council said it wanted more details about the decision to buy the farm and has requested statements from the CEOs of Brecon Beacons National Parks and National Resources Wales.
Mr Davies said: "It is an issue of fairness, that Labour ministers are able to use their significant competitive advantage to purchase land for Green Man, without having to pay LTT. That's an extra quarter of a million pounds that private businesses have to source, and Labour ministers don't. This story has been shrouded in darkness, and the economy minister has stonewalled many of my written questions on the issue. Labour ministers didn't expect a business plan from Green Man prior to purchase, they won't say whether it was Welsh Government who approached Green Man, and no Welsh Minister has ever even visited the site in an official capacity.
"Another question that needs to be asked is why Welsh Government paid £4.25million for a farm that was valued at £3.25million less than two years earlier. More clarity is required from Labour ministers as to where this magic million pounds has come from."
Welsh Government and Green Man Festival were both contacted for comment. Green Man Festival declined to comment and Welsh Government answered a series of questions.
A spokesman said Green Man provided an outline business plan to Welsh Government in October 2021. This included details that there had been a number of approaches to buy the Green Man brand and that the Welsh Government have been liaising with Green Man over a period of time to support their growth ambitions, the outline business plan provided in October set out the site requirements.
They said the £4.25m price was the "current market value" and said the £3.25m valuation was from 2015, not 2020.
The spokesman confirmed no minister had visited the site and said: "The Welsh Government are currently undertaking due diligence on the business plan and will engage with the Community Council on the details in due course."
Asked what the public interest was in purchasing the farm, the response was: "The Welsh Government purchased the site to support the growth ambitions of the Green Man festival. Green Man is one of five major independent festivals still running in the UK and an annual event that makes a significant contribution to Wales’ economy. We want to harness the potential additional positive contribution of the festival to local businesses, the community and the Welsh economy and ensure the Festival continues to have a permanent home in Wales."
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