Campaigners fighting plans to destroy 27 acres of ancient woodland in order to build a holiday village have hired a barrister.

The site on Ynys Môn - designated as an Area of ​​Outstanding Natural Beauty in 1967 - is home to various species of wildlife, flora and fauna.

In 2011, Ynys Môn Council gave permission to Land and Lakes - a company from Cumbria in England - to build a holiday village in Penrhos Coastal Park near Holyhead.

A year ago, Land and Lakes applied to the council to extend their planning permission.
The company's original bid included holiday chalets as well as housing for Wylfa Newydd staff.

However, with firm plans to build a second nuclear power station now shelved, for the time being at least, a local county councillor argues that the housing is no longer needed.

Councillor Bob Llewelyn Jones - who represents the Parc a'r Mynydd ward (which includes Penrhos Coastal Park) - called for the application to be re-considered by the counci's Planning Committee.

Bob Llewelyn Jones said, "The big (application) should have been scrapped altogether because Wylfa is not coming - there is no need for housing for the workers now. They should be starting again but they are probably afraid of the opposition.”

Hilary Paterson-Jones is the person who is leading the Save Penrhos Coastal Park Holyhead campaign. She says that she understands that a planning application must be looked at "within 12 weeks" if called in.

"That is my understanding having looked at the Anglesey Council website," said Ms Paterson-Jones. 

"When an application is called before the Planning Committee then we have an opportunity to say why we think the application should not go ahead.”

Campaigners do not understand, says Hilary Paterson-Jones, why there is such hesitancy in bringing the application back before the Planning Committee.

"We are meeting with our barrister on June 23 and then he will want to know from Anglesey Council why they have not dealt with this application when it has been called in for a year."

Our sister title, Corgi Cymru, has asked Ynys Môn Council for clarification on the slow pace of bringing the Land and Lakes application before the Planning Committee. A reply has not yet been forthcoming.

Councillor Llewelyn Jones can't think of any other place in Wales that would allow "turning a nature reserve into a holiday park to make money out of chalets. Destroy the trees and all that.

"The Government in Cardiff should tell them that they do not have the right to fell these trees," he said.

On December 6 2021, the Deputy Minister for Climate Change, Lee Waters, announced that "every home in Wales would be offered a free tree to plant as part of the Welsh Government's commitment to tackling climate change.”

Earlier on 13 July 2021 Lee Waters had announced a £2.5 million Woodland Investment Grant.

But despite the enthusiasm the Welsh Government has for the plan to create a 'National Forest', it seemingly will not step in to save the 27-acre ancient woodland at Penrhos.

A Welsh Government spokesman has already said it would not intervene in an issue local to Ynys Môn.

Councillor Bob Llewelyn Jones said he would "continue to oppose" Land and Lakes' plans to ruin Holyhead Penrhos Coastal Park.

Land and Lakes has been approached for comment.