What consideration has the Cabinet Minister given to directing Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Water to make an exemption designating Brandy Cove in the Gower as a bathing water?
The designation of bathing waters in Wales is a statutory matter for the Welsh Ministers under the Bathing Water Regulations 2013. Natural Resources Wales and Welsh Water do not have the powers to designate bathing waters and any application or proposal for Brandy Cove would need to be considered through the established application process.
The criteria for designation are set out in the Bathing Water Regulations and supporting Welsh Government guidance which is available on the GOV.WALES website. Links are provided below for ease of reference.
Applications for designating bathing waters can be made by any individual or organisation. Should an application for Brandy Cove be submitted, it will be assessed against these requirements and the criteria set out in the Regulations and supporting guidance alongside the supporting evidence before Welsh Ministers reach a decision.
Applications for designation for the 2027 bathing water season can be submitted until 15 October 2026. All applications received by this deadline will be considered in accordance with the Regulations, published guidance and the evidence provided.
Guidance: Designating bathing waters in Wales: guidance note [HTML] | GOV.WALES
Application: Designation of bathing waters: application form | GOV.WALES