£8.1M bid to install 22 new holiday cabins in Beddgelert Forest to be considered

Dale Spridgeon, Local Democracy Reporter

A holiday business is proposing an £8.1M investment to install 22 new luxury holiday cabins in a Eryri forest.

Woodland break firm Forest Holidays has requested permission to replace 85 caravans and camping pitches with self-contained units at the Forest Holidays Campsite in Beddgelert.

The company wants to add to its existing 16 cabin development, and proposes dispensing with 59 touring caravan pitches and 26 camping pitches, currently part of the estate.

Ancillary facilities 

It also wants to erect a new reception and café building, provision of ancillary facilities, landscape planting and biodiversity enhancement.

The matter is set to come before the Eryri National Prk Authority planners.

A ‘demand, economic and social impact assessment’ report in the application, described how Forest Holidays and the Roberts Group, both propose to expand their sites adjacent to Beddgelert village.

It states: “The proposed developments will provide additional visitor accommodation and will be considered separately by planning authorities”.

It noted they were “complementary developments that provide symbiotic impacts and from a socio-economic perspective that can be considered as one entity.”

Forest Holidays plans say “to meet the continued demand” from the camping and caravanning community, the Roberts Group,  would add to its existing capacity at the nearby Cae Du/Cae Canol campsites.

There it currently has 25 touring caravan pitches and 85 camping pitches, and wants to expand with an additional 85 pitches, to accommodate both touring caravans and camping. This will done as part of a separate planning application.

Replace losses

“This additional capacity will wholly replace the losses at Beddgelert. This investment is estimated at £0.3M” the report says.

The report also notes that the  Roberts Group, with its HQ in Pwllheli, recently acquired the Cae Du/Cae Canol site. It had been closed for five years and had previously “seen limited investment” but reopened  in the spring of 2024.

Operating the mid-1970s, Forest Holidays now runs 13 sites around the UK. Beddgelert is the smallest Forest Holidays location, with 16 cabins (72 beds), and 85 caravan/camping pitches; all cabins have hot tubs.

The proposed expansion will provide an additional 48 bed spaces, taking the gross capacity to 84 bed spaces. The Forest Retreat at Beddgelert also has a small shop and café; the shop provides locally sourced produce and essentials.

In-lodge spa treatments are available along with bookable activities
including activities such as bike hire, guided walks and backwoods adventures.

The proposal notes in 2023 occupancy on-site was 96%. The site is currently operated by 13 full time employed staff.

The proposed development at Forest Holidays represents an investment of £8.1M in terms of construction cost and would support 16 additional part-time jobs and one additional full-time job. It is estimated that spend from additional visitors staying at the proposed additional cabins at Forest Holidays could represent a potential additional income of £642,000 per annum.