Former Llŷn seaside church once subject of plea to Pope to come before planners

A former Llŷn seaside church which once hit the headlines amid an emotional plea to the Pope is to come before planners. Cyngor Gwynedd has received a full application concerning "alterations and conversion" for the former Roman Catholic Eglwys St Garmon building at Abersoch.

The church, which closed in 2016, was once popular with holiday makers and locals and was reputedly used as a place where visiting priests could stay to enjoy a 'busman's holiday' taking services. According to a news report at the time tears had been " flowing" when the last Mass was held in 2016.

The proposed closure had "angered" the church users, a petition was launched and sent to the Vatican calling for help to save it. The BBC had also reported that campaigners had appealed to Pope Francis "asking for intervention."

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A part of the building has since seen use as a holiday home by the family of the current owners. Now, the building will come before council planners to consider calls for "extended and remodelled living accommodation for the existing self-contained C5 dwelling."

C5 is the classification for a short term holiday let and refers to a property used for temporary sleeping accommodation, for holidays, leisure, or business.

The application has been made Mr and Mrs A Ford, through the agent Philip Moren a planning consultant and technical author. The plans describe how the couple acquired the former building on Lôn Garmon in 2020.

The building’s use as a church had ceased in 2016 and had subsequently been stripped of its furnishings and all features associated with worship.

The agent's planning and design and access statement notes: "It has been occupied as a second home by members of Mr and Mrs Ford’s family, with relevant Council tax payments being made to the local authority."

Drawings by Sunderland Peacock Architects show how the plans would "extend the existing lower ground floor two bedroom dwelling into the vacant ground floor former place of worship in order to create a three-bedroom dwelling".

They added: "This would be achieved by making relatively minor internal and external alterations, which would include the creation of an internal spiral staircase linking the two floors, limited internal partition/subdivision works, new and replacement windows (with some modified openings), and the addition of a porch/covered entrance attached to the front elevation’s west transept. The front entrance to the building’s ground floor would also be blocked up."