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The tourism industry in North East Wales could soon benefit from gaining the prestigious Dark Sky status.

Committee members of the Clwydian Range and Dee Valley Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty have given the go-ahead for an application to be made for the designation.

If granted by the international Dark Sky Association, it would follow the Brecon Beacons and Snowdonia in having the designation.

Over the past two years a great deal of research has already been done into what is required to meet the criteria, and consultations have been carried out with the business sector, local communities and volunteer groups.

In a report to the committee David Shiels of Denbighshire’s countryside services said: “The initial assessment of the quality of the skies in the AONB shows that, although there are a few areas of concern (Llangollen and some areas to the North East), in general the sky quality would meet the standards required for a Dark Sky designation.”

Referring to the “spillage” of light from the main towns, as well as from Deeside. Chester and Merseyside, the report said: “These have a significant effect upon tranquillity, particularly at night, spilling light onto the darker skies to the south and west in the AONB.

“Nevertheless, it is possible to seek to address these and, in particular, there are actions that can and should be taken within the AONB itself to reduce light pollution.”

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In large areas of the AONB, including the popular tourist spots of the Horseshoe Pass and Moel Famau, the night skies are of very good quality which, says Mr Shiels, bodes well for attaining the designation.

The cost of making an application to the Dark Sky Association and drawing up a lighting management plan is estimated at £20,000, half of which has been provided by the Welsh Government.

Apart from attracting visitors to the area – “astro-tourism” - acquiring such status is said to have benefits in public health, biodiversity and energy efficiency.

“Dark skies contribute significantly to human health and well-being, with increasing evidence showing that sleep is often disturbed by a lack of proper darkness at night with adverse impacts on health,” says Mr Shiels.

One of the complications in pursuing the application is that the AONB covers parts of three counties – Denbighshire, Flintshire and Wrexham – which have different lighting policies and the fact that lighting along the three trunk roads, the A55, A5 and A494, which cross the area, is controlled by the Welsh Government.

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