Editor

I write on behalf of over 20 residents who believe their lives will be impacted by the decision taken by the planning committee to allow the Ala Road development in Pwllheli.

We are not, however, in the least bit surprised as Cyngor Gwynedd had actually bought the property for the housing department before seeking planning permission, obviously with complete confidence of presenting a successful application.

On behalf of the planning department, their spokeswoman spoke at length of their compliance with the law, even though the notice could hardly have been displayed in a more obscure position (I had to point it out to our regular postman who had not noticed it for over six weeks!), and that I received an apology from the head of planning for not having being informed by letter, even though my property is within about 10 metres of the house. If they cannot decipher building plans, what hope for the rest of us? Four letters only were sent informing neighbours, and this during a pandemic!

The tragedy of this is that a large family home which could have been let at an affordable rent to a local family will now be used as a halfway house or hostel, and the proposed one and two-bedroom flats are not exactly family orientated. We know of a local mother and five children whose rented house has been sold and who must vacate later this month – this type of property would have been ideal for people such as these as a permanent home.

The young Welsh families who have purchased homes in this desirable terrace have been dealt a body blow, knowing the likely effect this hostel will have on their house prices – it is so sad. I question what the reactions of individual officials of Cyngor Gwynedd would be to a proposed conversion such as this next door to their houses?

We are glad that we were able to thwart their plans of sneaking the application through quietly, and that the full committee was involved.

I hope the officials involved can sleep soundly at night – I doubt very much that we will.

On behalf of a group of more than 20 local residents

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