TOO MUCH TOURISM?
Fears for future of community
LANGUAGE campaigners claim the tourism industry in Gwynedd is “out of control” and have urged councillors to take urgent action to address their concerns.
Cylch yr Iaith, a Gwynedd-based Welsh language pressure group, have written to all 75 Gwynedd councillors detailing their concerns and calling for a tourism policy which protects the character of local communities and the Welsh language.
Group spokesman Howard Huws said they believed the existing policies and regulations are no longer relevant and tourism projects are allowed to be developed without the appropriate checks and balances.
He claimed major tourismrelated developments have been carried out during the last few years with little other development and said the imbalance had had a negative effect on communities.
In the letter to councillors, a copy of which has been seen by sister paper, the Daily Post, the group states: “The county does not have a definition of the limits in regard to tourism developments and no monitoring and reviewing of the effects on communities.
“There is a need for a policy which is much firmer with clear, unambiguous and consistent policies in view of developers, councillors and taxpayers.
“This will mean a reappraisal of tourism policies in their entirety, looking again at the nature, scale and local benefit of various types of developments.
“Gwynedd Council has lost grip on the situation and Cylch yr Iaith urge the council to take action without delay.”
The letter, which makes detailed references to various academic studies carried out in the past 60 years, does not refer to any recent tourism-related projects that have taken place in the county.
The letter noted Cylch yr Iaith will campaign to ensure Gwynedd Council and other county councils in Wales take appropriate action to ensure tourism in Wales is sustainable, contribute positively to stabilise communities and protect the Welsh language.
A Gwynedd Council spokesperson said: “We will give detailed consideration to Cylch yr Iaith’s letter and respond in full in due course.”