'Save Shell Island' urge campaigners as petition to save one of Europe's largest campsites is launched
Campaigners hoping to save a popular campsite from closure in a row over 24-hour access for emergency services have appealed to supporters to sign a petition.
Mochras, or Shell Island, at Llanbedr, Gwynedd is one of Europe’s largest campsites.
The main access to it is through a causeway which is cut off from the tide twice a day.
At high tide, emergency services have had access through the neighbouring Llanbedr Airfield, owned by the Welsh Government, for over 50 years – although Snowdonia Aerospace LLP has been tenant of the airfield since 2012 but has now withdrawn guaranteed 24-hour emergency access to Shell Island.
However, SA deny that there has been agreed access for 50 years saying the deed was for 21 years from November 1992, which expired in 2013. They said it was capable of being terminated at any time during this term.
Since this month, only on a temporary basis and at the discretion of SA, emergency services have to call a mobile number for somebody to escort them across the airfield.
SA say that as part of their Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) licence, they have a strict policy of preventing any unauthorised and uncontrolled airside access for all third parties.
Security is an issue for SA which today (c Friday) submitted its bid to the UK Space Agency for Llanbedr to become an UK ‘spaceport’ and drone-testing facility.
Shell Island has 21 full-time staff and employs 87 seasonal staff but is facing “an uncertain future”, says its owners.
Hoping to do her bit, regular Kiri Allen urged fellow campers to sign a petition calling on the Welsh Government to urge SA to reinstate guaranteed and permanent high tide emergency services to the island.
Kiri, from Llay, Wrexham, said: “We have well over 8,600 signatories. We only need just over another 1,000 to reach the 10,000 needed. I have been camping there for 41 years. It’s an institution. If there is no access to the island, people will be stuck. They can’t put a bridge over. We need as much publicity as possible.”
Shell Island director Richard Workman said: “We have generations of families coming here. We are not doing it for ourselves, we are doing it for the emergency services. We have people walking across the Wales Coastal path here and the general public as the beaches are Crown land.”
Snowdonia Aerospace director David Young said they had sent a detailed communication to the local community council about the development. In a statement, SA said: “Our door remains open to both Shell Island and the emergency services in the immediate future, however it is clearly apparent a longer term solution is required which avoids the need to access Shell Island across the airfield during high tides.”
A Welsh Government spokesman, said: “It is a matter for the directors of Shell Island to enter into discussions with Snowdonia Aerospace directly to reach an amicable arrangement and we are pleased that a short term solution has been agreed. However, we encourage both parties to explore all options available as a longer term solution is necessary if the site is to maximise it’s potential.”
