An application to extend Bala Lake Railway line has been refused.

The railway had hoped to increase the line into Bala to help businesses in the area and provide more jobs, the but the Snowdonia National Park Authority rejected the plan this morning.

An authority spokesperson said: "At the National Park Authority’s Planning and Access Committee this morning, planning approval for the extension of the Llyn Tegid railway into the town of Bala was refused.

"The recommendation for members to reject the permission was based on several reasons. Although there was potential for some issues to be resolved  through the provision of further information by the applicant, others were of such significance that they could not have been resolved within the scope of this application, despite Planning Officers’ working closely with the developers from the very beginning. These included the effect of the development on the River Dee and Llyn Tegid Special Area of Conservation; as well as insufficient information about the development’s effect on the local road network in terms of access, traffic and congestion levels, and the safety of pedestrians and road users. Natural Resources Wales and the Welsh Government’s Highways Department also objected to the approval of the application.

"The authority recognises the economic benefits of this development to the town of Bala, and it sympathises with the applicant’s disappointment. Planning officers support the principle of this development, and are of the opinion that there is potential for this development to be approved in the future, provided that all the required information is submitted. However, as some aspects of the application does not satisfy regulatory requirements, it was impossible for planning officers to recommend the approval of the application today.

 "The applicant is free to appeal the decision, or to re-submit the application once all the relevant information has come to hand.”