Concern over sites

COUNCILLORS have claimed too many touring caravans sites are being set up in rural Gwynedd, raising fears they are having a detrimental impact on the natural beauty of coastal areas.

In a discussion at the Communities Scrutiny Committee of the draft Supplementary Planning Guidance (SPG), Cllr Dafydd Meurig said the issue dated back almost 18 months after members pointed to the growing number of touring caravan sites in the county, with Anglesey and Gwynedd councils set to adopt a new version of the SPG. The document covers touring caravans, motorhomes, campervans and tents, with applicants needing to show such accommodation will not add to servicing problems, or harm an area’s character.

Cllr Gruff Williams said: “I can see no problem with applications in well screened areas but we need to protect what visitors come here for in the first place, which is the natural beauty of the area.

“What kind of landscape do we want in our coastal areas? Is it something like Prestatyn and Rhyl or do we look at the cumulative effect and try and do something? We’re even seeing deckings being installed, leading to nothing more than static caravan sites by stealth. If we continue to approve such applications with fewer and fewer staff, it’s just going to become an even bigger problem.”

Planning officer Gareth Jones promised the concerns would be considered and said in the officers’ view, the policy in place would allow them to deal with applications appropriately.