Bid to extend holiday season at caravan park set for refusal amid flooding fears

Richard Evans, local democracy reporter

A developer’s bid to extend the holiday season at a static caravan site is set to be refused next week due to ongoing flood risk concerns.

Mr C Holden has applied to amend a planning condition that currently prevents the occupation of 23 static caravans at 30 Gwellyn Avenue in Kinmel Bay between 31 October and 1 March.

Mr Holden is seeking to shorten the closed period to just 8 January to 1 March, which would allow caravans to be used for an additional nine weeks a year.

Flood risk

But Conwy planning officers have recommended refusal, warning the site remains within flood-risk zones from both sea and rivers – and is consequently designated as vulnerable to flooding.

It currently operates as a mixed touring and static caravan park from March to October.

The applicant’s agent commented: “Since COVID and Brexit holiday patterns have changed.

“Our client, together with many others in the locality now find that people want a ‘bolt hole’ to have a break throughout the year.”

They added: “It is no longer confined to the traditional season. Breaks tend to be shorter but spread over a longer period.”

Kinmel Bay and Towyn Town Council have no objection to the plans. But Natural Resources Wales (NRW) advises that the council turns down the application.

‘Highly vulnerable’

In a statement NRW said: “The planning application proposes a highly vulnerable development (caravan park).

“The Flood Map for Planning identifies the application site to be at risk of flooding and within Flood Zone 2 and 3 (Sea), Flood Zone 2 (Rivers), and a Tidal TAN15 Defended Zone.”

The application site sits within the Towyn and Kinmel Bay settlement boundary, with homes to the east and commercial and agricultural buildings to the west.

The latest proposal is a resubmission of a previously refused application, which was also turned down due to flood risks.

The application will be discussed by Conwy County Council’s planning committee at Coed Pella on Wednesday 9 July.