Boathouse holiday plan scrapped

The Lleyn Peninsula is a popular area for holidaymakers

A businessman says he has decided to withdraw a planning application to turn a boathouse into a holiday home.

Steven Mackreth had wanted to convert the boathouse in Porth Colmon on the Lleyn Peninsula, Gwynedd, into a self-catering unit with a boat storage area.

But Mr Mackreth, of Wrexham, who owns several holiday cottages in Porth Colmon, said there was strong local opposition.

Gwynedd council confirmed that the application had been withdrawn.

His application to convert the boathouse was not welcomed by some as it is understood they did not want overdevelopment, and to attract more people to the area.

In a statement, Mr Mackreth said he felt he had "no alternative but to withdraw the planning application" because of the very strong feelings of some local people".

He added: "We are ashamed to be Welsh".

A public meeting was held on Monday evening in nearby Llangwnnadl attended by about 60 people.

Public meetings

Local councillor Seimon Glyn said he "implored" Mr Mackreth to reconsider and allow "democracy to take its course."

He said he had taken part in a number of public meetings about the application and while there was opposition to the plans, the people there were "sensible" and "conducted themselves extremely well".

Dafydd Rhys, one of those who spoke out against the plans, said: "There are strong feelings locally and a need to keep Porth Colmon as it is without overdeveloping.

"There is a history society set up not only to show our objection... but to try and resolve the matter in the long term it's much more complicated than this planning application.

"We need guidance here from the county council and the local community council and local groups to resolve the matter once and for all. We need to know who owns the land. Is it a common land as a number of people think?"