PLANS to provide overnight motorhome parking areas at an Eryri [Snowdonia] lakeside beauty spot have been lodged.
The proposals would see the development of nine bays at the Y Glyn car park beside Llyn Padarn at Llanberis.
Cyngor Gwynedd will consider a full planning application to develop the stopping points in “bay two” of the carpark at the popular waterside leisure area known as the “lagoons”.
The site, owned and managed by the council, is a favourite with walkers, kayakers, swimmers, campervan users and car day trippers in the summer.
The Cyngor Gwynedd application was received on February 1 and is an amendment to a former planning application which was granted at the end of last year.
The latest scheme concerns developing an area of the car park east of the public toilets.
Previously permission was approved to rearrange and resurface the car parks, part of plans to help bring “order and control” to the area.
An upgrade and regulation of parking had been considered necessary due to “almost overwhelming” visitor numbers.
Last October, local councillor Kim Jones told the planning committee that several applications had called for changes borne out of the “frustration” felt by locals over traffic chaos in the area and other problems including littering.
Gwynedd, along with the rest of Wales and UK, had seen a rise in motorhomes and van sleeping, and more parking in unauthorised areas.
The council approved creating more than 100 parking spots for cars, formal areas for camper vans and disabled bays.
The proposals had also included the creation of an accessible walking path with a tarmac surface and installation of a gravel cell surface system within the parking areas, at the carpark.
When the initial permission was granted, planners heard there were no marked parking areas, bays, or specific footpaths, and the area was full of “dangerous” potholes.
The latest amendment was made through Alun Fon Williams, Cyngor Gwynedd’s Economy and Community Unit, through consultants Lambe Planning & Design.
The design statement describes how the application had followed “detailed research” by Cyngor Gwynedd into camper van use.
As part of a public consultation there had been general research work undertaken with the community, and work through the Aros Fan project, and report.
The project aimed to upgrade public car parks in destinations across Gwynedd, including Llanberis, Pwllheli, Caernarfon, Criccieth and Barmouth, and included trialling motorhome camping facilities.
The planning statement said the idea was to “…develop a network of locations that will create legitimate provision for overnight parking and sleeping areas throughout the year for motor homes in Gwynedd.”
The Llanberis plans include a motorhome service point to provide fresh water, a place to empty toilets and grey water, recycling and litter bins, as well as information points.
The overnight parking bays would be subject to a maximum length stay of 48 hours, and no BBQs, fires, awnings or tents would be allowed.
“The motorhome areas will be basic hardstanding areas, purely for short use stay only,” the plans read.
