Snowdonia chalet plans given go-ahead at Beddgelert

The interior of one of Forest Holidays' cabins at Deerpark, Cornwall

Controversial plans for a chalet park in Snowdonia have been approved.

Forest Holidays applied for permission to replace 110 of its 195 caravan and camping pitches with 16 wooden chalets at the former Eryri Forestry Park, near Beddgelert.

The plans were met with 200 objection letters and two petitions with more than 4,000 signatures.

Despite this, Snowdonia National Park Authority passed the plans at its meeting on Wednesday.

Objectors' complaints included claims it would lead to a "Center Parcs" style resort, taking trade away from Beddgelert, and increase the costs to stay, making it unaffordable for the average family.

A cabin at Forest Holidays' site in Cornwall

Beddgelert community council recommended the plans be refused at a meeting in January.

The company said building cabins while cutting the number of pitches would be more in keeping with the area.

In a report to the authority, officers said: "The proposal would not result in the loss of a tourist facility, rather one with less intensive use."

The scheme will see 27 of the 248 trees on the site felled.