Footpath walked for ‘generations’ in seaside village wins support

Dale Spridgeon, local democracy reporter

An application over a disputed footpath in a popular Pen Llŷn seaside village – which locals claim to have walked for generations – has won support.

Cyngor Gwynedd’s planning committee agreed that a “definitive map modification order” should be permitted, over the coastal route from Nefyn town to the harbour.

The application was made under the Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981 to register the public footpath on the Definitive Map.

‘Historic use’

Councillor Gruffydd Williams had made the application in December 2018, before a later amended application was submitted in November 2021.

Citing the council’s reasons against the application, an officer stated that the section between B to E, across the beach, had “no boundaries” and as such “it does not exist in an identifiable way.”

He added that the public “must demonstrate they have used the route unchallenged for a period of 20 years,” and to “make a case” it was also necessary to establish a date when the route came into use.

Local member Cllr Rhys Tudor presented black and white images of Nefyn showing the footpath.

“It’s been in historic use over a long period of time, with many people using the path since they were children,” he said.

The submission was supported by 28 “statements of evidence” which described the public’s use of the route dating from the present day as far back as the 1930s.

The amount of evidence provided had also shown “the great interest” by locals over the disputed route, he said.

“You can see on the photos, people have long been walking along following the edge of houses and sea wall.

He also cited property owners, who said they had “never taken any steps to prevent the public from using the path,” to challenge the argument against public access.

Public inquiry

At the planning meeting yesterday (Monday, January 13) the committee was warned there was a “a real risk” that, if approved, the matter could be appealed and go to a public inquiry.

This supposedly could lead to “many thousands” of pounds in costs to the council.

The council solicitor Dafydd Jones said to the committee: “We recommend you should refuse, it’s entirely your decision, but we will lose in an investigation, possibly, and there could be a substantial claim for costs.”

“It could run into many thousands, possibly tens of thousands, putting services at risk.”

But a vote to go with the recommendation to reject failed.

A second vote, to approve putting the route on the definitive map as a public footpath in the town of Nefyn, however, was successful.

Cllr Louise Hughes had proposed “going with the local feeling” saying: “This application is to give the right to people who have walked this path, maybe 100 years.

“Over the generations, families have enjoyed the path, I think that gives them the right.”