Holiday let plan for chapel rejected for third time in row over second homes concerns

Dale Spridgeon Local Democracy Reporter

Plans for a Manchester-based company to convert a 19th century chapel into holiday accommodation have been rejected for the third time amid an ongoing row over second homes.

The  island’s planners refused a bid to turn the empty Capel Jerusalem at Llangoed, Ynys Môninto three holiday flats – despite warnings that the matter could go to an appeal.

The application had been submitted to Anglesey County Council by the Manchester-based Baby Bird Development Ltd run by Loretta and Anthony Hodari.

Plans to turn the chapel into four holiday flats had already been rejected by the committee  in November, 2022.

An amended plan reducing the number of flats to three was also turned down in June, 2024.

Issues

The matter was returned to the committee  by the Seirol ward councillors Cllr Gary Pritchard, Cllr Alun Roberts and Cllr Carwyn Jones.

Issues raised included lack of parking, impact on highway safety and an over provision of holiday accommodation in the area.

Councillors had expressed concerns that the threshold for the number of holiday homes in the area of 15 percent had been breached, and had not included the number of Air B&Bs.

Planning officer Rhys Jones said the threshold of 15%  was  “just a guideline,” and the figure for Llangoed was “only just  a little higher.”

“We must consider that the council has lost a number of appeals, with the inspectorate noting that the council had not provided any evidence that a small increase over the 15 percent threshold would lead directly to any detrimental effect.” He said.

“We can’t reasonably say than an increase of O .36 percent would have a detrimental effect on our communities without evidence.”

The latest data had showed there were now  681 units in the Llangoed area, 70 being second homes and 35 self-catering  units

Although the figure was “flexible” – due to houses being sold and built, Mr Jones said the latest figure was currently at 15.42 %, adding the three units would increase it to 15.86 % a small increase of 0.44 %

“Even though the threshold is higher, without any concrete evidence that this would cause harm, I would expect to lose an appeal at this point,” He warned.

“We must also consider the existing building is large and prominent in the village,  it is vacant and likely to become unsightly without development.

“It could become an eyesore and problematic considering its size and location. The recommendation continues to be approval.”

“Contentious”

Cllr Jeff Evans agreed and proposed approval but there was no seconder.

The committee went against the recommendations – with Cllr John Ifan Jones proposing rejecting the  application, seconded by Cllr Robin Williams – the vote was one less than unanimous.

Cllr Alun Roberts said the application had been  “extremely contentious.”

“It has created a lot of local discussion and  fierce objection by local residents and every member of the community council,” he said.

“There is huge objection due to lack of parking near the site, he said.

“Anyone who lives in the village or like me who drives through you are fully aware of the lack of parking and the difficulty in driving through…

“The 15.36 percent does not  sound like a big increase on 15 percent, but once you set a precedent, if you just go over the threshold, you can keep doing  that incrementally… the figure we heard today is even higher.”

“In Beaumaris,  I have seen the impact of opening the floodgates, and I have seen the lack of pupils in the school, that goes hand in hand with his type of development.”

Cllr Gary Pritchard also described the application as  “totally unsuitable” and felt it could lead to parking and traffic problems.

“I plead with you to consider the figure of 15 percent, if we allow things to just go over the threshhold it will soon reach 20 percent, and more, and we’ll be facing a situation just like in Trearddur [Bay] where it is 40 percent.”

Cllr Robin Williams said: “The problem of holiday homes is not unique to Anglesey, Wales, or the UK.

“We are hearing in the news about people protesting in Majorca, due to so many second homes. People in Cornwall are fighting back.” He said.

“I accept that 15 percent is a guideline, but as I said last month,  do we say enough is enough?

“If you search Air B&Bs there are 110, in that small corner of Anglesey, definitely some of those units will not be on the register.

“If I have to go to an appeal to tell the inspectorate this I will, and I will tell him I have had enough seeing houses used as second homes and holiday units.

“Maybe the developer could convert the chapel into three or four affordable homes for local people to live in – but no, it’s that profit people are looking for isn’t it?

“We have to put our communities ahead of developers who come before us with developments time after time for second homes.

“That is what they are, just holiday units for rich people from Manchester or Birmingham or wherever.

“We can’t continue with this situation as it is, or we will have killed our communities.”