A longstanding touring caravan and camping site near Abersoch, Wales, has been refused a Certificate of Lawful Use by Cyngor Gwynedd, casting uncertainty over its ongoing operations.
The application for the certificate, made by Carol Correia-Martins in March 2025, sought to confirm the continued use of Penrhyn Camping Site at Bwlchtocyn as a lawful touring caravan and camping ground based on more than a decade of use.
Penrhyn Camping Site is situated near the Wales Coast Path and Porth Ceiriad, a beach popular with surfers. According to the application, the land had been used “solely for caravan and camping purposes” since 2007.
However, on August 1, Gwynedd Council’s planning department rejected the request, citing insufficient evidence to prove uninterrupted use of the entire site over the required 10-year period.
“No planning permission is in place,” the submission noted, “however, a support document has been submitted as part of this application for a certificate of lawfulness.”
The application included visitor reviews, utility bills, orders, and receipts from 2007 to 2014. During that time, the site operated under the Caravan Club holiday scheme and benefited from a planning exemption certificate.
The documents acknowledged that in the 1990s, the land had been briefly used as a caravan site before reverting to agricultural use for sheep grazing. A separate planning application submitted in 2006 to use the land for three touring caravans over a 28-day period was also refused.
According to Herald.Wales, further developments occurred in 2023, when 22 fully-serviced hardstanding pitches were constructed on the site.
Planning documents accompanying the recent application noted a shift in demand away from tent camping:
“Over the past decade, the applicants have observed a decline in enquiries regarding tent pitches, as a growing number of customers are expressing a preference for spaces and facilities designed for motorhomes and caravan pitches.”
Currently, the site features three shower rooms, a W/C, a laundry facility, and access via a private road. Despite these amenities and continued use, Cyngor Gwynedd concluded the application did not “undisputedly prove a continuous use of the entire site for the specified time period.”
A council spokesperson explained that such applications fall under Section 10 of the Planning and Compensation Act 1991 and do not require a Planning Committee decision.
“The application was refused as the evidence as submitted does not undisputedly prove a continuous use of the entire site for the specified time period,” the spokesperson said.
The applicant may still appeal the decision or submit further documentation to support a revised application. The council also noted it retains the option of pursuing enforcement action, depending on how the situation progresses.
For campground and RV park owners, this case illustrates the importance of maintaining comprehensive and continuous records of site use—especially when operating without formal planning approval.
Long-term operation without explicit permissions does not guarantee immunity from planning scrutiny, and lapses in documentation may jeopardize future legal standing. Operators seeking certificates of lawful use should ensure their evidence leaves no ambiguity.