Press Release
25 March 2024
National Welsh Countryside Charity Backs Save Penrhos Campaign
The Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) has pledged to donate £5,000 towards the legal fees for the Save Penrhos Campaign’s legal challenge of a proposed 500 ‘chalet’ holiday park development on Penrhos Coastal Park, Holyhead.
At a court hearing in Cardiff earlier this month, a Judge agreed for the Campaign Group’s case to be heard as part of a judicial review to be held later this year.
In 2016, the Cumbria-based property development company Land and Lakes somehow secured planning permission from Anglesey County Council for a £120m ‘world-class leisure village’. The plans entail 500 cabins, shops, restaurants, bars, and a ‘tropical style’ swimming pool. Campaigners have been fighting this application, to save Penrhos as it currently exists, for 15 years.
Anglesey (down to low water mark) is designated by UNESCO as a Global GeoPark, one of c.195 in the World, giving the Island’s UNESCO Geopark GeoMôn an equivalent status as UNESCO World Heritage sites. Evaluation of GeoMôn is every four years, revalidation again will be 2025. Penrhos is within the GeoPark and any threat to important designations could be detrimental to a successful revalidation.
Jonathan Colchester, Chair, CPRW said: “The purpose of CPRW is to protect the Welsh countryside for current and future generations. We are proud to stand fully behind the heroic local volunteers who have fought this case for so long. Saving this area of outstanding natural beauty has become one of our priorities.
“We are living through a nature and climate crisis, and it is critical that we all play a part in reversing the rapid decline in our landscape and its complex ecology. Also, crucial are the social values that support it and that includes local businesses. This unnecessaryevelopment is a massive step in the wrong direction.
“This issue has also galvanised local people to join CPRW Anglesey Branch, and we welcome local residents to join us in support of our priceless Welsh countryside.”
Hilary Paterson-Jones, who leads the Save Penrhos Campaign added: “Penrhos is a historic 200-acre coastal park in Holyhead, Ynys Môn, the only woodland on the island. The park has Grade II-listed historical buildings dating back to 1553 and was officially opened as a Nature Reserve by HRH the Prince of Wales in 1971.
“The woodland created in 1700’s, is now home to many rare species of flora, fauna and wildlife including red squirrels. It is much loved by local people from nearby Holyhead for walking and swimming. Thank you to CPRW for donating towards our legal fees, we have a long battle ahead but with their support and everyone behind us we can stop this development.”
For further information please contact: Caroline Conway, CPRW on 07731567488 or via email [email protected]
Notes to Editors
- The next CPRW Ynys Môn branch meeting will be held on Wednesday 24th April, 1pm-3pm at Llanfairpwll Memorial Hall.
- For more information please visit the Penrhos Facebook page for latest developments www.facebook.com/groups/SavePenrhosNaturePark
- Anglesey (down to low water mark) is designated by UNESCO as a Global GeoPark, one of c.185 in the World, giving the Island the equivalent status. GeoMon are evaluated every four years, revalidation again will be 2025. Penrhos is within the GeoPark and any threat to important geological sites would be detrimental to a successful revalidation. Further information can be found via the unesco website here www.unesco.org/en/iggp/geoparks/about and to GeoMon; here: www.geomon.co.uk
- CPRW was founded in 1928 making it the oldest rural charity in Wales. The charity is passionate about creating a countryside which works for everyone, aims to protect wild spaces for the next generation and to enable a sustainable rural community for all.
