THE owner of a five-star bed and breakfast near Dolgellau has been refused planning permission to change the use of one of the properties to residential use.

Olwen Evans of Tyddyn Mawr, on the foothills of Cader Idris above Dolgellau, wanted the holiday-only restriction removed from her property at Beudy Uchaf, situated some 300 metres from Tyddyn Mawr.

The committee was told by planning officer Hugh Roberts that the application was to convert the building into a house dwelling without restrictions.

Ms Evans addressed the planning meeting and said that her son, a farmer, and her daughter, a school teacher, did not want to continue with the tourism business.

She said that her health was deteriorating and she could only manage to run part of the tourism business.

Ms Evans said that in the 21 years that she had been trading in holiday accommodation she had 24,000 people staying with her.

Snowdonia National Park Authority member David Roberts, of Aberdyfi, said that the park’s policy was clear, but that he too felt that there were strong personal circumstances.

Cllr Dyfrig Siencyn said that if the approval was granted then it would be very hard to refuse similar applications throughout the national park area where several holiday-only properties had been approved.

Hugh Roberts said that the policies were clear and that the application had to be refused.

See full story in this week’s Cambrian News