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This pretty Welsh island could soon get a £250 million holiday park – but some locals aren’t happy about it

Anglesey’s new park will come complete with 492 premium lodges, a spa and a swimming pool, all overlooking the northwest Welsh coast

Annie McNamee
Written by
Annie McNamee
Contributor, Time Out London and UK
Penrhos Nature Reserve, Anglesey, Wales
Photograph: Shutterstock
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There’s a lot of natural beauty in this country, and a lot of it is actually off-shore, scattered among the UK’s many, many little islands. From the Isles of Scilly to the Scottish Hebrides, lots of people have taken notice of how gorgeous our islands are, but with such steep competition, some, tragically, fly under the radar.

Anglesey, off the coast of north Wales, is one such island. Although it’s famed among the Welsh for its gorgeous beaches and historic sites, it just isn’t known widely enough to get the attention it so deserves. A holiday park, however, could change that.

Plans for the £250 million Penrhos Coastal Park have just been unveiled by Seventy Ninth Group. Set against the picturesque coast, the group wants to build just shy of 500 ‘premium’ lodges, as well as a restaurant, spa, gym, sports pitches, and swimming pool, all of which, it has assured, will be open to locals.

Despite this, some residents are less than impressed with the development. When it was initially proposed, some were fearful of losing the nearby coastal park, which sits on an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty (AONB). Naturally, they were keen to protect this.

Seventy Ninth Group, however, has assured that it intends to keep the community at the heart of the scheme, arguing that it will massively boost the local economy and generate hundreds of jobs in the process. Council leader Gary Pritchard has come out in agreement with this statement, saying: ‘This is a significant potential development in terms of the local economy. The commitment to progress in a sensitive and inclusive manner is welcomed, as is the commitment to engaging with the local community.’

Dylan J. Williams, chief executive of Anglesey Council, has shared similar sentiments, describing the Penrhos site as ‘sensitive’ and saying that: ‘Whilst there are substantial direct and indirect economic benefits, balancing investment with environmental sensitivity will be important.

‘We look forward to having meaningful engagement and establishing a long-term working relationship with the Seventy Ninth Group.’

The group reckon that it will take five years to complete construction of this project, but that some initial lodges could be finished as soon as this summer, provided that they are able to keep the public onside. 

Where to stay in the British Isles

Anglesey isn’t the only place worth visiting in the UK – the mainland has plenty to offer too. Here’s our favourite family friendly holiday digs, and some treehouses you can rent out for something a little different. We’ve also got guides to the country’s cosiest cabins, and the coolest castles you can stay overnight in.

Did you see that this beautiful heritage railway in Lancashire is getting a £1.3 million revamp?

Plus: Devon is getting a stunning new country park

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