Popular Snowdonia carpark to get major upgrade to cope with tourist demand

A bid to bring “order and control” to a Snowdonia beauty spot that has been overwhelmed with visitors has won unanimous backing.

Gwynedd Council’s planning committee has approved a bid to create more than 100 parking spots for cars and camper vans at Y Glyn, on the banks of Llyn Padarn in Llanberis.

Known locally as “the lagoons” the area is hugely popular with tourists visiting North Wales.

But since the post-lockdown staycation boom, the area has struggled to cope with the sheer number of day-trippers and there has been traffic gridlock at the site at the height of the summer season.

Councillors met this week to discuss a full application for alterations to the area, and to formalise the parking arrangements.

The plans state the current informal parking spots are “excessively full and dangerous at times”.

They also highlight that there are no marked parking areas, bays, or specific footpaths, and the area is full of “dangerous” potholes.

Addressing the meeting, Llanberis councillor Kim Jones said another application, to seek parking charging in the area, was also on the cards.

She said both applications were borne out of “frustration” over the chaos caused for local people.

The car parks fall within the Padarn Country Park in a Site of Special Scientific Interest and next to a World Heritage Site.

The proposals will see one area of the car park developed to include 52 car parking bays, three disabled parking bays and nine camper van parking bays.

A drinking water fountain will be installed, as well as a bicycle shelter for up to ten bikes, with three charging points for electric cars also to be added.

An area to wash canoes and equipment was removed from the plans due to concerns raised by Natural Resources Wales, the meeting heard.

A second area of the car park will see 57 car parking bays created, along with one trailer parking bay and 13 camper van parking bays.

Meanwhile, a third area will have three car parking bays, two disabled parking bays and four camper van bays. An accessible walking path will also be created.

Planning officer Keira Ann Sweenie said the main considerations for the committee were the visual impact of the proposals on the surrounding area.

Cllr Kim Jones said the improvements were part of the council’s Parc Padarn plans and the situation at the site had been “concerning”.

She said: “Cars are parked all over the place, there are potholes which appear often and are a danger.

“It is an area popular with motorhomes who park free of charge overnight, and currently the park budget is used to clear the site in the evenings.

“It was intended to submit an application for parking enforcement on Y Glyn.

“If successful we will be able to generate income from this site and hopefully employ more wardens in the future.”

She added: “The public can park free of charge use the lake and toilets and no money comes into support the village which is frustrating for locals as we clean the rubbish voluntarily.

“The purpose of this project is to improve safety and have better control, of the site. If parking enforcement is in place, it could help resolve matters raised by local residents for many years.”

The planning committee voted unanimously to approve the scheme, subject to conditions recommended by officers.

By Dale Spridgeon – Local Democracy Reporter