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| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| Boathouse holiday plan scrapped | Boathouse holiday plan scrapped |
| (10 minutes later) | |
| A businessman says he has been forced to withdraw a planning application to turn a boathouse into a holiday home. | A businessman says he has been forced 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. | 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. | 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| Gwynedd council confirmed that the application had been withdrawn. | Gwynedd council confirmed that the application had been withdrawn. |
| His application to convert the boathouse was not welcomed by some in the area as it is understood they did not want overdevelopment and to attract more people. | |
| But in a statement received by BBC Wales he alleged that the actions of a few individuals had made him fear for the safety of his family and his property. | But in a statement received by BBC Wales he alleged that the actions of a few individuals had made him fear for the safety of his family and his property. |
| We fear for our safety and the safety of our property and are totally shocked by the hostile behaviour shown to us by a few individuals Steven Mackreth | We fear for our safety and the safety of our property and are totally shocked by the hostile behaviour shown to us by a few individuals Steven Mackreth |
| "Due to the very strong feelings of some local people we have no alternative but to withdraw the planning application," he said. | "Due to the very strong feelings of some local people we have no alternative but to withdraw the planning application," he said. |
| "We have been informed that if permission was granted we can expect some serious repercussions. We fear for our safety and the safety of our property and are totally shocked by the hostile behaviour shown to us by a few individuals. | "We have been informed that if permission was granted we can expect some serious repercussions. We fear for our safety and the safety of our property and are totally shocked by the hostile behaviour shown to us by a few individuals. |
| "We are ashamed to be Welsh." | "We are ashamed to be Welsh." |
| A public meeting was held on Monday evening in nearby Llangwnnadl attended by around 60 people. | A public meeting was held on Monday evening in nearby Llangwnnadl attended by around 60 people. |
| Dafydd Rhys, who was one of those who spoke out against the plans, said: "There are strong feelings locally and a need to keep Porth Colman as it is without overdeveloping. | Dafydd Rhys, who was one of those who spoke out against the plans, said: "There are strong feelings locally and a need to keep Porth Colman 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. | "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?" | "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?" |
| 'Reconsider' | 'Reconsider' |
| Local councillor Seimon Glyn said he was "extremely shocked" that "threats" had been made to Mr Mackreth. | Local councillor Seimon Glyn said he was "extremely shocked" that "threats" had been made to Mr Mackreth. |
| "I have been a councillor for 20 years and I have been involved in very controversial applications over the years but I have never come across anything like this. | "I have been a councillor for 20 years and I have been involved in very controversial applications over the years but I have never come across anything like this. |
| "If this is true then I condemn it absolutely and I would implore Mr Mackreth to reconsider and to allow the due course of democracy to take its course." | "If this is true then I condemn it absolutely and I would implore Mr Mackreth to reconsider and to allow the due course of democracy to take its course." |
| He said he had taken part in a number of public meetings about the application and said while there was opposition to the plans, the people there were "sensible" and "conducted themselves extremely well". | He said he had taken part in a number of public meetings about the application and said while there was opposition to the plans, the people there were "sensible" and "conducted themselves extremely well". |
| "I'm confident everybody in any of those meetings would not have made those kinds of threats and I have no idea where they have come from." | "I'm confident everybody in any of those meetings would not have made those kinds of threats and I have no idea where they have come from." |