A COMMUNITY’S bid to re-open a village play area is a step nearer to fruition after crucial planning permission was granted by council chiefs.

In 2012 the village play area in Edern on the Llyn Peninsula was condemned and shut down following a report by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (ROSPA), who deemed the facilities to be unsafe.

Since that time, however, the community has been working hard to re-open a facility for local youngsters, having so far raised £13,000 towards reaching this goal.

This has been achieved by holding several events in the community with the Nefyn Town Council sub-committee now in a position to apply for further grant funding.

In the application, they stated: “This is the first phase of the project to reopen village play facilities in Edern.

“We’ve been successful in obtaining a grant from the Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty fund, which has allowed us to purchase and plant trees, fence the site and metal gates in ensure security.”

The application, which has now obtained planning permission by Gwynedd Council, includes provision for a climbing frame, roundabout and swings, with safety flooring to be put in place to ensure childrens’ safety.

Both Nefyn Town Council and Dŵr Cymru both offered no objection to the proposal going ahead.

The decision, which was made by officers without the need to go in front of planning committee members, was to approve the plan with a condition that work starts within five years.