An appeal will be held in September over the decision to reject redevelopment plans at Sunbeach Holiday Park in Llwyngwril.
The hearing will take place virtually on Thursday, September 11, before an inspector appointed by the Welsh Government through Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).
The proposal, submitted by Sunbourne Ltd, sought to redevelop parts of the existing caravan site without increasing its total capacity.
According to the North Wales Chronicle, the plans involved redistributing 36 units out of the 455 already approved on the site.
Specifically, the application included 24 static caravans or lodges with landscaping, 12 static caravans in place of a residential dwelling, and three caravans in lieu of a former shop. A new main site entrance and internal access road were also proposed.
Eryri National Park Authority’s planning and access committee rejected the application at its meeting on May 22. Planning officers noted that most of the redevelopment site lay east of the Cambrian railway line, where no caravans are currently located.
The park, which covers 11.6 acres and operates year-round, was formed through the amalgamation of two adjacent sites. Sunbourne Ltd described it as a “well-established site” and argued that the redevelopment would support the local economy while avoiding negative impacts on the landscape.
Committee members expressed concerns about the proposal’s visual and environmental impact. Cllr Edgar Wyn Owen, who proposed refusal, said it was “too big,” with Cllr Ifor Lloyd seconding the motion.
Cllr Louise Hughes, representing the local ward, said the application was “emphatically not a popular application in the local community.”
For business owners in the outdoor hospitality sector, this case highlights the ongoing balance between park redevelopment ambitions and local planning sensitivities.
While Sunbourne Ltd framed the changes as a redistribution rather than an expansion, community perceptions and visual landscape considerations played a decisive role in the refusal.
For operators, the appeal underscores the importance of aligning redevelopment proposals with both planning regulations and local sentiment to ensure long-term sustainability and acceptance.
PEDW will publish the outcome of the appeal following the September 11 hearing.