Improvements to a scenic waterside path described as “central to life in Porthmadog” have been unanimously approved.

Gwynedd Council planning committee agreed to an application to demolish an existing boundary wall to create an improved footpath at Llyn Bach.

All 11 councillors voted in favour of plans to upgrade the popular Cob Crwn route for pedestrians, cyclists and other users.

The proposal came before planning on 2 March.

The meeting heard the existing informal route consisted of uneven, grassed areas and the uneven surfaces did not meet modern standards.

Improvements would see the replacement of the grassy sections and a “sturdy, level and accessible path”.

The new path would be built in accordance with Active Travel (Wales) Act guidance and relevant inclusive design standards, plans state.

It would include a widened shared-use corridor suitable for wheelchairs, mobility scooters, and pushchairs and a “consistent, firm, and slip-resistant surface,” for year-round use.

Plans also described improving gradients to comply with inclusive mobility design requirements, and a “more coherent pedestrian route” to connect key destinations within Porthmadog.

The site is on the outskirts of the town, just off the existing Llyn Bach car park, approximately 220m away from the Pen Llŷn a’r Sarnau Special Area of Conservation (SAC).

It was considered “the proposal would be unlikely to have any significant impact on the SAC”.

Although loss of a recreational area had been an objection, planners said it was “not considered to have any adverse impact”.

The application was approved with conditions, which include tree preservation, pollution mitigation measures, and biodiversity enhancements.

Speaking on behalf of local member Cllr Nia Jeffreys, who could not attend, Cllr June Jones said the path was an “important part of daily life in Porthmadog”.

“There is no need to close the existing footpath, so the local councillor is very much in favour,” she added.