Inspector rules in favour of heritage railway

An appeal by the Ffestiniog Railway Company against the Snowdonia National Park Authority’s refusal of a new station building for Beddgelert has been allowed, with the authority also required to pay costs.

In a decision handed down on 21 May by RH Duggan, a planning inspector appointed by the Welsh Ministers, it was decreed that the railway organisation may proceed with the development on a concrete slab already put in place when the project was initially put forward in the 2000s.

Costs were also awarded, with the inspector recording that in its refusal the planning committee had not applied the local development plan 2016-2031, and that “the application was decided on the grounds of unsupported local opinion and opposition to any station building,” causing the appellant unnecessary costs.

The applicant is now invited to submit to the national park authority details of its costs, with a view to reaching agreement on the amount to be paid.

Consent was given in 2006 by the authority for a facility including ticket office, waiting room, toilets and café, with the slab developed at the existing Beddgelert station, a stop on the Welsh Highland Railway.

Even at that point the issue was contentious, with conditions attached on trading – conditions that were defeated in an earlier appeal. Since that time, the station has operated with small shelters on platforms, portaloos and temporary cafe provision in place, as financial priorities elsewhere saw the Beddgelert project put on hold.

A  refreshed application was submitted in 2023, looking to deliver a slightly smaller version of the approved 2006 plan.

This went to the parks authority’s planning and access committee in May 2023 with a recommendation to approve, but was refused, leading the heritage group to seek recourse through Planning & Environment Decisions Wales.

Based on the reasons given for refusal, the inspector set out as the main areas under consideration in the appeal as:

• Character and appearance of the area, specifically relating to the Beddgelert conservation area and the national park’s special qualities
• Living conditions of neighbours in terms of overbearing impact, odour and noise
• The vitality and viability of Beddgelert centre
• Highway safety
• The Dark Skies reserve

Addressing the ‘character and appearance’ factor stated as a reason for refusal, the inspector noted that the park authority had not provided any detailed assessment of how the proposal would negatively impact the area’s character, while the appellant had provided its design & access statement, showing that the plans would be 20% smaller than the approved 2006 iteration, with local, sustainable materials used.

In addition, noted the inspector, the new building would allow for the removal of the unsightly cluster of buildings currently serving passengers. The inspector concluded that the plan is “architecturally superior and visually preferable to the 2006 fallback scheme”.

The proposed building is smaller than that approved in 2006. Credit: planning documents

On living conditions, again the authority failed to substantiate its claims on impact, although issues communicated by various objectors were looked at. It was concluded that the project should not change significantly the issues already faced by living near a station, adding that concerns over the cafe were mitigated by the outdoor seating area’s location being on the far side of the station to nearby housing.

The third area, on whether the development might damage trade in Beddgelert centre, was more contentious, as Beddgelert has now become a ‘destination’ station with visitors drawn to its centre’s attractions. The inspector’s view is that the village will not be harmed, but that a café on site would offer an option for those not wanting to take on the steep walk to the village centre.

Addressing another reason for refusal, highway safety, the inspector said that the site already receives delivery traffic to its pop up café, and formalising the café would make little difference. The last major point, possible impact on Dark Skies designation, was also regarded as a minor point, with the scheme likely to have little effect due to operating almost exclusively in daylight.

Chambers Conservation worked with the railway company on the application.

The matter was noted briefly at the national park authority’s planning and access meeting this week.

The appeal reference is CAS- 03946-S8V3C7. The planning reference with the National Park Authority is NP2/11/634K.