A PETITION signed by 30,000 people was handed to the Welsh Government this week in a bid to save the Shell Island campsite from closure and the loss of 108 jobs after a row erupted with the managers of the neighbouring airfield over emergency access.

The petition calls on the Welsh Government, which owns Llanbedr Airfield, to ‘Save Shell Island’ by maintaining guaranteed, 24-hour high tide emergency services access.

Regular access to Shell Island is via a causeway, but at high tide the only way for emergency services vehicles to reach the Shell Island peninsula is via the airfield’s perimeter road and Shell Island bosses claim that is not always possible.

Executives at Snowdonia Aerospace Centre say they “have not prevented or stopped any emergency access sought by the emergency services at any time over the airfield” and have pledged to open the gate when necessary, subject to the availability of their contact.

Shell Island director Richard Workman said: “As a campsite that welcomes over 80,000 visitors every year it is imperative that we have adequate access for emergency services.

“That means being able to guarantee that we can get emergency vehicles on site, round the clock, and without delay. Our number one priority is the safety and well-being of our guests and our employees.

“It’s unthinkable that we could be forced to close because of the actions of Snowdonia Aerospace, but the reality is we are facing a very uncertain future."

Lee Paul, CEO of Snowdonia Aerospace Centre, said: “We have continued to allow any emergency services access across the airfield as required, despite the previous Shell Island lease which was in place granting such access expiring and no formal approach being made by Shell Island to seek to renew this original long-standing agreement. The previous formal lease which was in place contained a number of controls/measures to protect all parties in relation to health and safety and security and it is merely the reinstatement of these control measures we have sought to implement.

“It would be flippant of us to permit uncontrolled and unfettered access over an active airfield/runway by vehicles and totally against all Civil Aviation Authority safety parameters. This in itself could potentially lead to significant risks of health and safety and danger to all concerned.”

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