The Welsh Government has spent £4.25m on a Brecon Beacons farm in an attempt to secure the future of Green Man. But the festival has said it will keep its event in Crickhowell prompting questions over the deal.
Economy minister Vaughan Gething said the government bought the 240-acre Gilestone Farm to ensure Green Man has a "permanent home" in Wales, though he added that a deal to lease the site is still being negotiated. Green Man has not confirmed its intentions for the land in Talybont-on-Usk, which is currently used as 'glamping' holiday accommodation and a farm – but the music and arts festival has said it does not plan to move from its Glanusk Park site near Crickhowell, the BBC reports.
James Evans, Tory MS for Brecon and Radnorshire, said taxpayers' money should be spent elsewhere amid the cost of living crisis while Plaid Cymru has queried why the land was bought without a business plan from the festival being in place. The BBC has reported that Green Man intends to run the site as a farm for its health and sustainability work with Cardiff University.
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Mr Gething told the Senedd that the land was not bought "above market value" and the ambition was to ensure Green Man has a "permanent home" in Wales. He said "further negotiations" will take place with Green Man "either to look at the purchase or a further lease arrangement for the site". For now the land has been leased back to its former owner who still has crops to harvest and bookings to honour. The minister promised to update the Senedd when it receives a business plan from Green Man. You can read more about the festival here.
Plaid agriculture spokesman Mabon ap Gwynfor said local farmers had complained to him they "hadn't had any opportunity" to bid for the farm. He added: "We know that the Welsh Government doesn't have a good record when it comes to buying agricultural land because we've seen agricultural land being bought by the government turning land that once produced food into commercial forestry."
Tory Senedd leader Andrew RT Davies branded the purchase "quite depressing for some farmers when their own family members are struggling to get their foot on the ladder". And Mr Evans has referred the matter to the Senedd's public accounts committee for investigation, complaining that the purchase "does not seem transparent".
Mr Evans asked: "Why was the Welsh Government so reluctant to make statements to the press on this and it took myself to force a minister through a topical question to come to the Senedd to explain the Welsh Government position? We have a cost of living crisis that the Welsh Government keep telling us about but they're quite happy to waste £4.25m on a farm."
Mark Isherwood, chairman of the committee, said: "These concerns are within the remit of the committee and raise questions around the Welsh Government's approach to property management including purpose, value for money, and decision-making. I will be discussing the matter further with the committee to agree an approach to scrutinising these matters next week."
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