New proposals for a redevelopment of the eyesore summit building
on Snowdon have been released at public meetings by the Snowdonia
National Park Authority.
Despite the enduring hatred the existing structure engenders in
many walkers and climbers - even if most of us have snuck in for a
cup of tea at one time or another - economic considerations mean that
it won't be demolished and removed. 
Some 350,000 people apparently use the existing 1930s bunker-like
cafe every year, many (120,000) via the Snowdon railway, and its
removal would cost Llanberis a lot of tourist income.
As a result, the brief to architechts Furneau Stewart was to
soften the impact of the building with a footprint no larger than the
existing site and more sympathy for the aesthetics of the local
environment - in other words, less obtrusive hideousness and no
larger.
The proposed solution - still in the consultation stages - is a
lower, slant-roofed building constructed from local materials to
blend in and two glass walls to give views towards the summit and
away to Moel Hebog. You'll also be able to buy drinks and snacks both
internally and externally, though there will be now winter emergency
shelter facility.
The cost of the project is an estimated £4.5 million and
building cannot start before next year -2003 - at the earliest. For
a report from one of the meetings see the
High
Treks website which also has an artists impression of what the
building may look like.
You can download a PDF article detailing the project from the
Snowdonia National Park Authority web site here
complete with more artists impressions of the proposed building.
