Resubmitted caravan park application in beauty spot refused again by planners

Dale Spridgeon – Local democracy reporter 

Resubmitted plans for a touring caravan site in one of Wales’ areas of outstanding natural beauty were again rejected.

Cyngor Gwynedd planners had felt the proposal, on good agricultural land in Llŷn would “not easily assimilate” into the local landscape.

Councillors turned down the full application for the Berth Ddu caravan park, Bwlchtocyn, near Abersoch, at a December planning meeting.

The committee had considered a  resubmission of a previously refused application with amendments for a caravan site to include a toilet block and environmental improvements.

It was to create 13 plots for touring caravans, erect a permanent building to include toilets and showers and undertake soft landscaping.

The main changes to the previous application which was refused in the summer, was the reduction in plots from 15 to 13, and planting a new hedge.

The application was made by John Evans (Evans Caravan & Camping Ltd) through the agent  Gwyn Pritchard (Ty Newydd Cyf.)

The applicant’s had stated in the plans that the site was “unobtrusive and well screened” with mature hedges obscuring visibility from public viewpoints.  Accessed off the main road between Bwlchtocyn and Porth Ceiriad it was also felt it had “good visibility from the entrance”.

The applicants had also stated it could “provide a positive contribution in terms of help to maintain and support the existing leisure industry, support local industries and suppliers, provide additional employment for local people and help to support and sustain local shops, pubs and cafes.

A planning officer told the meeting the site was located in open countryside, outside any development boundary and within the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty and the Llŷn and Enlli Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest.

Report

A planning report had noted “from the site’s planning history, it appears that no planning permission exists (except for the previously refused planning application) to create a caravan site here.

“It is known that the location has operated as a “Caravan and Motorhome Club” certified site in the past. However, the existing site does not operate through the exempt club, as confirmed by the club’s representatives on October 30, 2025.

“Therefore, it is believed that the current application is for a brand-new touring caravan site, due to the lack of any planning permission in the past or any exemption certificate to operate a caravan site through these arrangements”.

A public consultation had raised comments including that “the changes from the previous application “were cosmetic”  and “do nothing to prevent the visual impact of this open site within the AONB”.

Capacity

Transport concerns, poor site access, lack of capacity within the area to accept an increase in caravans, concerns over the permanent presence of touring caravans on sites and work undertaken without planning permission, were also raised.

However, the community council had stated its stance was  “to support” but added it was “concerned about the number of caravans in Bwlchtocyn”. Planners had concluded it was “not believed that the plan as submitted is acceptable,” due to not complying with local and national planning policies and guidelines.

It was also “not considered that the proposed units would easily assimilate to the local landscape”  nor be “in an unobtrusive location” and it was considered the development “would be harmful to the visual quality of the landscape”.

Density

Officers also added it would “not add to the maintenance, enhancement or restoration of the recognised character of the Llŷn Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty”.

It was also felt “creating a new caravan site some distance from the main public roads network on a busy rural road where there is a high density of holiday sites would have an impact on the features and character of the area”.

There was “insufficient evidence” submitted to “demonstrate that full consideration has been given to the loss of the best and most versatile agricultural land”.

Cllr Edgard Wyn Owen proposed accepting the officer’s recommendation to refuse, saying “it’s  a new caravan park on agricultural land”, seconded by Cllr Gareth Jones.