by David Weston
The owners of Glandulas Caravan Park has accused the Welsh Government of “living in Cloud Cuckoo Land” for thinking the business will survive being cut in two by a proposed bypass.
Trevor and Patricia Bebb, the park’s owners, described trying to reason with Welsh Government officials as like “banging your head against a brick wall” and have accused them of a string of broken promises.
The plans for the new bypass in Newtown cut the caravan park in two leaving some caravans stranded.
The couple strongly contests a statement by Andrew Falleyn, the Welsh Government’s Infrastructure Projects Division deputy director, that the caravan park will be able to continue after the bypass is constructed. It has even been suggested that a bridge over the bypass would connect both parts of the park.
“We fully support the need for a bypass and don’t wish to delay it being built, but on the other hand we also don’t want to close a very successful business that is extremely popular with the 80 families who live here whilst on holiday and bring so much money into Newtown,” Mr Bebb said.
“It is considered that the holiday park business will be able to trade following completion of the scheme albeit at a lower volume and income than before the bypass is constructed,” Mr Falleyn states in a letter to the Bebb family.
He rejected an alternative route suggested by Mr Bebb, which would have avoided the caravan park completely, because the cost was estimated at an extra £7 million.
The bypass route revisions will be on display at public exhibition to be held at the Elephant and Castle Hotel, Newtown on April 8.
Based on the latest research by the British Holiday and Home Parks Association, a park of this size generates nearly £500,000 a year for the local economy.
The consultation continues.
