Gywnedd rejects Seiont Manor Hotel expansion

County councillors voiced concerns over the impact the Snowdonia project would have on local businesses, the Welsh language, and open countryside.

Seiont Manor Hotel owner Caernarfon Properties had sought planning permission to remodel the existing property, which had been operating at a loss for 14 years under its previous owners Handpicked Hotels. Seoint Manor has been closed since 2020.

It was hoped that a revamp of the 33-bed boutique hotel would revitalise the space. The proposals, designed by Street Design Partnership, included growing the number of bedrooms to 61 with the aid of a two-storey extension and 43 additional parking spaces. Spa facilities were also included, as well as a lounge bar and restaurant with a terrace.

A further 39 three-bed holiday lodges would be built on the property, each with two parking spaces. There would also have been a reception area for the lodges and an activity centre.

Gwynedd County Council planning officers had recommended the project for approval – but local councillors opted to vote the other way during a planning committee meeting on Monday.

Councillors shared a variety of concerns about the application, including the impact the scheme would have on the nearby caravan parks that are operated by locals. Another issue was the fact that this would increase the area’s seasonal population and bring in workers from outside the Welsh-speaking village.

In the end, all but one councillor voted to reject the application. Grounds listed for the refusal included the effects of overdevelopment on the community due to the scale of the project.

Cadnant Planning is the planning consultant for the scheme. The project team also included Land&Heritage, Integra Consulting, and Focus Transport Planning. Learn more about the application by searching reference number C21/0861/23/LL on Gwynedd County Council’s planning portal.