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Neath Port Talbot Council Leader, Steve Hunt has unveiled a special plaque to mark the transformation of the site, which can be traced back to the 16th Century.

New facilities at the park include:

• A fully accessible two-storey visitor centre offering a modern café and a south-facing balcony with panoramic lake views, as well as flexible event and meeting spaces.
• A dedicated children’s soft play area (situated inside the visitor centre).
• ‘Gnoll Towers’ woodland adventure playground, featuring three interconnected climbing towers – each increasing in height, with the tallest reaching nearly 30ft.
• Consolidation and repair work to the Gnoll House ruins.
• Holiday accommodation (dog friendly), sleeping up to six people at the historic Pond Cottage offering views of the park’s pond and wildlife.
• Walking and recreation routes, via a new bridge linking the park with nearby Brynau Farm, the relaxing, 57-hectare Woodland Trust wildlife haven.
• Restoration of the park’s historic cascades.
   

The project was led by Neath Port Talbot Council and funded by the Vale of Neath Heritage Corridor project, part of the UK Government’s Levelling Up Fund. The work was completed by one of Wales’s most established contractors, Andrew Scott Ltd.
 

Leader of Neath Port Talbot Council, Cllr. Steve Hunt said:

“I’m pleased to mark the official opening of this exceptional building. Gnoll Country Park is a place everyone in Neath Port Talbot knows and loves. This investment offers a new chapter in the park’s story for present and future generations.

“It’s been a true team effort to get us to this point today, and we thank the UK Government for funding to make this possible.”

Wales Office Minister Anna McMorrin said:

“Gnoll Country Park is a fantastic place for local people and visitors to explore and enjoy.

“I’m delighted that UK Government money has helped to build new facilities, so that even more people can access the park and it will be preserved for many more years to come.”

Cabinet Member for Nature, Tourism and Wellbeing, Cllr. Cen Phillips said:

“Parks like the Gnoll have long been places where people gather, exercise, learn, and take time for themselves — and this new visitor centre enhances everything the park offers. It’s shaped by centuries of history — industrial, social, and environmental.

“It also strengthens the council’s wider goals around health and wellbeing. This new visitor centre will encourage more people to get outdoors, move more, and experience the benefits of nature.”

Gnoll Country Park Manager, Chris Pugh said:

“We’re very excited to bring some brand-new facilities to Gnoll Country Park that allows us to accommodate everyone from babies to older generations.

“I’m excited for people to learn more about the heritage, nature and wildlife we have on offer here.”