Plans to effectively double the size of proposed “holiday studios” in an area close to Snowdonia National Park have been passed – through “gritted teeth”.

The plans for Tyn Terfyn Caravan Site at Tal y Bont, Conwy, will see the amended proposal replace the previously approved 15 one bedroom studio accommodation units with a mix of larger static caravans.

Amended drawings show 10 x 1 bedroom and 5 x 2 bedroom proposed static caravans, which could be partitioned internally to include more bedrooms.

The proposal also increased parking provision from 15 to 26 vehicles.

It had come to committee because there had been 12 objections to the scheme.

For more than 90 minutes, councillors debated the merits of the proposal with many feeling increasing the number of bedrooms would potentially increase traffic.

However, officers said that, had the applicant Peter Davidson sited the caravans from the original planning decision of 2018, he could replace the caravans without permission anyway.

Councillor Chris Cater, representing Penrhyn ward, said he believed councillors should defer for a site visit to see the area and decide what impact the bigger caravans would have on it.

Cllr Dave Cowans, of Eirias ward, agreed with deferring the proposal.

He added: “To me this is about making money without any thought to the beautiful area we live in.”

Several other councillors on the planning committee agreed with Cllr Cater that a site visit would help them decide about the scheme.

However they were advised the applicant could appeal if they deferred, because the decision would be out of time.

Mr Davidson was in the local press recently regarding plans to site a pig sanctuary next to the camp site, which had brought objections from locals.

This was raised during the meeting but officers advised this was not a consideration as it would have to be part of a subsequent, separate planning application.

Cllr Alan Hunter, Abergele/Pensarn, said the committee were between “a rock and a hard place” with regard refusing of deferring the scheme.

He added: “Every time we raise an objection there’s planning reasons why we can’t do it.”

The plans were approved by eight votes to six, with Llysfaen member Cllr Phil Capper saying as he voted: “Approve, through gritted teeth.”