He claims remote planning officers based in Caernarfon “have one eye across the Menai Strait and neglect the south of Gwynedd”.
“Defending joint working with Anglesey, the planning department claim there is a strong business case. I totally disagree and having run a very successful business in Tywyn for many years I can state joint working on the JLDP makes no business sense,” Cllr Stevens said.
“Any business will tell you that you need 100 per cent focus on your enterprise. No business would have their top people working on another business enterprise, that is economic madness. We need all Gwynedd departments including the planning department and councillors to have all their focus on Gwynedd. That is what they are paid for.”
Cllr Stevens said Tywyn was designated a “local service centre” and would receive 20 per cent investment with restrictions on house building and development.
“Five large towns in the north were designated as “urban centres” and would receive 55 per cent investment,” he added.
“No town south of Porthmadog was designated as an “urban centre”.
There is no justification for starving Tywyn of investment and development. Tywyn is strategically placed in south Gwynedd and can be described as “the mother town” of the area in that the six surrounding villages of Aberdyfi, Bryncrug, Abergynolwyn, Llanegryn, Rhoslefain, Llwyngwril. All look to Tywyn as their resource centre for hospital, doctors, dentist, farm supplies, builders’ merchant, petrol station, veterinary service, leisure centre, swimming pool, secondary education, solicitors, estate agents, large supermarkets, high street shops, cinema and more.
“Too often planning officers refuse applications in Tywyn and even refuse site visits.
“Recently an application to site nine static caravans was refused by planners who refused a site visit. In the rejected application planners used photos from Google Street view that were six years old. That shows a lazy unprofessional attitude as they don’t have any concern or empathy for Tywyn.
“The JLDP has never given any benefit to Tywyn quite the revers it has deprived the largest town in Meirionnydd of its rightful investment and development. For future generations Gwynedd must end the joint working with Anglesey and Tywyn must be redesignated as an “urban centre” and given the investment and development it has been deprived of.”
Gwynedd Council has been asked to comment.
Gwynedd residents are being encouraged to have their say on the review of the existing plan.
The Draft Review Report, available at www.gwynedd.llyw.cymru/replacementldp is subject to a public consultation. Responses can also be submitted there.