Gwynedd: Campervan overnight sites considered by council

Gwynedd council is to consider allowing campervans and motorhomes to stay overnight in some carparks

Campervans and motorhomes could be allowed to stay overnight in some council carparks, following a staycation boom this year.

A Gwynedd council cabinet report will recommend six pilot areas for French-style Aires sites to be set up.

Aires are small-scale camp sites offering basic facilities such as waste disposal and water.

It follows concerns over a rise in motorhomes being parked illegally overnight.

If the plans are successful, the local authority would spend £100,000 on establishing the six Aires , which would be on parts of existing carparks, as is common in some European countries.

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Councillor Gareth Thomas, Gwynedd's cabinet member for economic development and community, said the pilot scheme aims to manage tourist numbers better.

"The high numbers of people visiting has been a cause of concern for some areas with some deciding to stay in motorhomes in locations where there is no legal right to sleep in a vehicle overnight.

"With the restrictions of Covid-19 making people less likely to have travelled to the continent over the last two summers, we have seen an increase in people visiting in motorhomes to enjoy Gwynedd's popular attractions," he said.

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It is also hoped the Aire pilots would encourage motorhome visitors to stay in towns or villages, offering economic benefits to the local community, he said.

Cllr Thomas added that sales of motor vehicles had increased by 71% in 2019 and 2020.

An online consultation over the summer found that 92.2% of motorhome users would use an Aire-like facility if it was available, with the main requirements being fresh water, toilet waste disposal and rubbish.

Councillor Gareth Griffith, the cabinet member for the environment, said: "If the cabinet consents, work will proceed to secure the relevant rights before any developments."