Plans rejected for 800-lodge leisure park on Anglesey

The resort, which would cover three sites near Holyhead, could create up to 600 jobs

Controversial proposals for a leisure resort on a country park on Anglesey, creating up to 600 jobs, have been refused by planners.

Developer Land & Lakes wanted to create a "quality destination" leisure resort with about 800 lodges but it had faced opposition over size and impact.

The development was planned to be based at three sites at Penrhos, Cae Glas and Kingsland.

But the proposals were refused by five votes to two with one abstention.

The plans will now come back to a further meeting of the authority because the refusal was against officers' advice.

The developers will also consider an appeal.

The proposals submitted had planned for Penrhos to be the base for the leisure resort with approximately 500 lodges and cottages and a water park along with a sports hall, spas, saunas, restaurants, walking and cycling routes.

Cae Glas would have been used in the short term to house workers for building the Wylfa B nuclear power station and will also be home to a hotel, football and cricket pitches.

It would have later been turned into extra 315 lodges and a nature reserve will be created.

'Unique site'

The Kingsland site would initially have had 360 houses which would be used for construction workers building on the Cae Glas site before being turned into residential housing.

Land & Lakes had been working with land owners Aluminium Metals, Anglesey council and the Welsh government on the matter.

Council leader Ieuan Williams and spokesman for economic development Aled Morris Jones said: "This has been an emotive application which has been met with much local objection. The application, however, also offered significant opportunities for job creation and economic growth which was also widely recognised.

"As planning committee members chose to vote against officer recommendation, there will now be a one month 'cooling off' period before the application returns to the committee to be ratified."

Speaking before the meeting, Richard Sidi, chief executive of Land and Lakes, said: "Our objective is to create a quality destination leisure resort of national significance to provide a sustainable economic legacy for the area.

"This is a unique site in a unique location and we are hugely excited about developing our plans for this 'flagship' leisure resort which will include extensive local amenities."

The former smelting works at the Anglesey Aluminium Metals (AAM) site was closed in 2009 and put up for sale the following year, with offers invited in the region of £10m.

First Minister Carwyn Jones called the plans "ambitious" when they were announced 12 months later adding that the plans could "enhance the tourism offer of both Anglesey and north west Wales".

Anglesey council also welcomed the proposals for the site.

But opponents to the scheme have "significant" concerns over its size.

Natural Resources Wales said it did not object to the proposal in principle but was concerned about the impact on the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.

The development had conflicted with the adopted development plan which meant the Welsh government could have called in the application for determination had it been approved by Anglesey council.