This blog has been set up to represent the views of Llanbedr residents who are concerned about Gwynedd Council’s plans to build a bypass as part of the bid to attract the UK Spaceport development to Llanbedr Airfield. A considerable amount of time has been spent researching this project and this website is in no way associated with a group using the name SLVSSB that circulated a contentious and ill-informed leaflet opposing the scheme last year.
On this site you will find information about the plans for a bypass, news about what is happening, a library of documents (mainly reports) relating to the scheme, and an opportunity to express your own views or contribute further information.
The immediate concern is about the plans for a bypass — a planning application is imminent — and this will undoubtedly have a major impact on the village and it’s present attractive setting. However this development is clearly linked to more distant plans for a spaceport, for which the bypass is window-dressing.
Then there are other matters, such growing fears that the airfield operators are exaggerating the success of their operations in order to gain support and are not sensitive to the interests of local people and local businesses. All these problems are of interest too, particularly growing fears in the community that developing a spaceport at Llanbedr will require some local businesses to be shut down with the loss of of permanent employment for dozens of local people.
Not everyone is opposed to a bypass or a spaceport. However in view of Gwynedd Council’s and Llanbedr Community Council’s failure to consult the community properly before plans for the bypass scheme were finalised, we consider that it is essential that there should be a way of providing information and relevant documents that are not at present easily accessible to anyone who may be interested. It will also be useful to provide a forum for people to express their views and concerns.
At the moment there is much that is still unknown about Gwynedd Council’s plans and methodology in preparing their planning application for the bypass, and seeking funding for the scheme. However some of what is known is very disturbing. If a bypass is built, it will change the village for ever and it will not be possible to reverse that process if the benefits promised by those who are promoting the scheme are not forthcoming, but the adverse consequences that will affect the village and some of the businesses in it do happen. Therefore it is very important that those who will be directly affected, and those who just care about what happens to Llanbedr, should be as well informed as possible about what is happening. Everyone will have a voice when a planning application is registered with the Snowdonia National Park Authority and it is hoped that full use will be made of the opportunity.
Some people may take exception to this intervention, but please bear in mind that if acceptable standards of local democracy had been followed in this case, then it would not be necessary.
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