Restoration of miniature railway cancelled

A miniature railway ran at Severn Beach until 1976 and there were plans to restore it

A project to restore a miniature railway in a seaside village will no longer go ahead, its founder has confirmed.

Joe Nemeth said he had dreamt of restoring the Severn Beach Miniature Railway for more than 25 years but claimed planning issues meant he could no longer take the project forward.

South Gloucestershire Council said a planning application for the railway was "under review" and the project would be allowed to go ahead if it complied with the relevant requirements.

However, Mr Nemeth said he "had to call it a day", adding: "Our community and volunteers have been deprived of an amazing project."

Joe Nemeth said the cancellation of the project had left him with a "sad and broken heart"

Mr Nemeth was set to build and run the 0.25 mile (0.4km) railway next to the seafront promenade at Severn Beach, in South Gloucestershire.

Work had been under way to prepare the site, which included the installation of a shipping container to be used as an engine shed.

In a statement, Mr Nemeth said it was with a "sad and broken heart" that he had to announce the project was no more after what he described as a "long battle" with the council's planning team.

A council spokesperson said it became aware the miniature railway was being built in May and so asked for a planning application to be submitted.

"[The] council would have welcomed this facility but planning permission can only be granted if the applicant can show that the development complies with all relevant planning policies and legal requirements," they added.