Neath Port Talbot council has greenlit plans for the Afan Valley Adventure Resort – a highly anticipated leisure destination set to rise on a 325-acre former forestry plantation in South Wales.

The new attraction, which is being overseen by Peter Moore OBE – of Center Parcs fame – will comprise 600 trail lodges, a 100-room spa hotel, restaurants, and a plethora of sports and recreational facilities, including a survival academy created by television personality and ex-soldier Bear Grylls.

Treetops Hotel and Spa – the resort's on-site retreat – will feature a design concept from Austrian hotelier Heinz Schletterer and offer meditation classes, massage treatments, and access to an infinity pool.

"We look forward to delivering a spa experience that relaxes the body and mind in a unique way," Schletterer commented in a statement.

In their report, members of the council concluded that Afan Valley "would significantly benefit the aspirations and key principles for socio-economic growth in the region, and act as a major contributor to the local economy through the provision of a strategic tourist destination".

Northern Powerhouse Developments is the developer for the project, while British architecture practice Powell Dobson is in charge of its master plan. Global engineering and project management company AECOM will supervise the resort's delivery.

The scheme has been in development since 2017; full-scale plans were first revealed in December 2018.

Construction is expected to get underway by the end of the year.