A touring caravan and camping site in Abersoch has again been denied a Lawful Development Certificate after planners determined that the evidence submitted did not conclusively demonstrate the site’s continuous lawful use over the required period.
Penrhyn Camping Site, located in Bwlchtocyn near Porth Ceiriad in Gwynedd, resubmitted its application earlier this year after a similar request was refused by Gwynedd Council in August 2025. The latest decision, issued last week, marks the second rejection of the operator’s effort to secure lawful status for the site’s continued use.
The application sought a Lawful Development Certificate for the continued use of the land as a touring caravan and camping site, arguing that the property had operated for many years without formal planning permission. According to the submission, the site has accommodated 22 pitches between March and October for more than a decade.
Planning documents filed by the applicants described Penrhyn Camping Site as a “well established” business that had been “continuously operating since 2007.”
It added: “The land has been used solely for caravan and camping purposes.
“No planning permission is in place, however, a support document has been submitted as part of this application for a certificate of lawfulness.”
To support the application, the owners submitted documentation including visitor reviews, utility bills, purchase orders, receipts, and records intended to demonstrate the site’s operation from 2007 through 2014. The application also referenced the site’s participation in the Caravan Club holiday scheme during that period, when it operated under a planning exemption certificate.
The planning history of the property dates back to 2006, when an application for a change of use to allow three touring caravans on the land for 28 days was refused. More recently, in 2023, the site completed the development of 22 fully serviced hardstanding pitches, according to Cambrian News.
Despite the evidence presented, the application attracted objections from parties who disputed the claim that the site had been operating continuously as described. Those concerns formed part of the planning authority’s assessment of whether the legal test for a Lawful Development Certificate had been met.
In its decision, Gwynedd Council concluded that the information submitted did not satisfy the evidentiary standard required for certification. The planning report stated that the application was refused because the “evidence as submitted does not undisputedly prove a continuous use of the entire site for the specified time period.”
Unlike a standard planning application, a Lawful Development Certificate is determined on the basis of factual evidence rather than planning policy.
Applicants must demonstrate, on the balance of probability, that a development or land use has continued lawfully for the required period. Where records are incomplete or conflicting, planning authorities may determine that the legal threshold has not been met even if a site has operated for many years.
For campground, caravan park, and outdoor hospitality operators, the decision underscores the importance of maintaining comprehensive operational records, including occupancy documentation, utility records, financial statements, aerial imagery, and other verifiable evidence that can substantiate continuous use.
Businesses seeking to regularize longstanding operations may benefit from assembling detailed historical documentation before submitting applications, particularly where planning permissions or exemption certificates have changed over time.