A family who bought their own island paradise could be forced to sell it as a result of the council claiming they breached planning permission.
The new owners of a stunning holiday home on the small tidal island of Ynys Faelog, off the coast of Anglesey, North Wales, bought the property for £1,000,000 from Bangor University in 2021, who used it for nature studies.
After renting it out as a £400-a-night holiday let for visitors to marvel at the views, council officials said there had been a breach of planning control as the home was not officially changed from an education office to holiday home.
Anglesey council has since invited the owners of Ynys Faelog Limited to make an application for a change of use of the buildings – which has now been submitted by Nigel Thorns Planning Consultancy.
In a planning statement, they said: ‘For information the property is used as a personal holiday home by the applicants and is also commercially let out as a holiday home.
‘This tourism element allows the property to benefit the local economy over the full year rather than periodically by the home owner visiting the property.’
They added: ‘The key point here, is that the change of use is contained within the confines of the existing building, meaning that the impact of the physical development is neutral and has no impact upon the character or setting of the local area.
‘When the University left the island, the building was boarded up and was vandalised. It could be argued that the reinstatement of the residential use and the associated improvements to the building and the site are a significant improvement to the local area.
‘The building was constructed and used as a dwelling prior to the intervening University office/teaching use and is wholly suitable for its residential use.’
The statement added: ‘As part of the holiday let process, local companies/persons are employed to tend the gardens, provide general maintenance and provide turn around facilities between guests.’
Part of the beautiful island, which is only reachable at low tide, was put up for sale by Bangor University which included a two storey building with spectacular panoramic views of Beaumaris and Bangor Pier.
The new owners turned the site into a luxury six-bed second home and holiday let – costing over £400 a night.
Rhys Ll Jones, Anglesey council’s planning development manager, said: ‘A retrospective application has been submitted to the Local Planning Authority following an enforcement investigation.
‘The application is a retrospective application for the change of the former office and teaching building into mixed use as a dwelling and holiday let accommodation with a curtilage at Ynys Faelog, Menai Bridge.
‘The enforcement investigation resulted in an Enforcement Warning Notice and the Local Planning Authority invited the applicant to submit a planning application to remedy the breach of planning control.
‘However, the enforcement investigation was for the unauthorised use of the building as a holiday let and did not include a permanent residential dwelling.
‘As the application includes use (or part thereof) of the building as a permanent residential dwelling, outside of any defined settlement, it is a departure from the Local Development Plan.’
However, no action is currently being taken and there is no impact on the Ynys Faelog holiday let business, or Ynys Faelog Cottage which goes for £252 a night, which is also owned by the family.
The planning committee will now consider the application.
