Welsh-speaking village blocks housing development over fears outsiders will harm language

Village sign
Village sign

A Welsh village has succeeded in blocking a new housing estate because non-Welsh-speaking families could cause “significant harm” if they moved in.

Botwnnog community council in Gwynedd, North Wales, previously claimed English speakers could be a “degenerative influence” if they were allowed to settle in 18 affordable houses due to be built in the rural settlement.

On Monday, Gwynedd County Council’s planning committee voted to reject the application outright to “protect the Welsh language”, going against the advice of its own planning officials who said it should be approved.

Botwnnog is a village of fewer than 1,000 people in the Llŷn Peninsula, an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty that juts out into the Irish Sea from the Welsh west coast.

Welsh is spoken at home by three-quarters of pupils at the village’s two schools which also teach in the native language, according to government statistics.

Plans to build a series of bungalows for social rent on farmland on the edge of the village sparked controversy in the rural community.

Housing plan
Plan for the new homes in Botwnnog which has a population of 1,000 and two schools which teach in Welsh
Welsh village of Botwnnog in Gwynedd
Villagers feel ‘very strongly about the issue’, the council meeting was told - Jay Williams

Village councillors claimed that the homes would present a “danger to the Welsh language and the fabric of the community” if approved.

But Robert Williams, the applicant, said the impact on the language would be small and the development would make a “significant contribution to local housing need”.

His view was supported by Gwynedd county council’s own planning officials.

On Monday Gareth Jones, a planning officer, told a meeting of the authority’s planning committee that there was “dire need” for affordable housing and there was “no hard evidence” that the Welsh language would be harmed substantially by the development.

“We would not be able to defend the decision [to reject the application],” he said.

But several local councillors spoke out against the proposals.

‘It will have drastic consequences’

Cllr Huw Rowlands said the development would “have an impact on the Welsh language”.

“If the wrong decision is made, it will have drastic consequences and it will be too late,” he said. “It is a proposal which could cause significant harm.”

Cllr Gareth Williams said the occupants would be from outside the area and their presence would be “detrimental to the culture”.

“Everyone in the local area feels very strongly against it,” he said.

Cllr Gareth Jones added: “There is extreme opposition locally – everyone is against it.”

Cllr Gruff Williams said: “They should locate the houses where the need is, mostly round the Caernarfon area.

“People say we are racists when we are trying to protect our language. It makes it difficult for people to stand up against these policies.”

The proposals were rejected by one vote, with six councillors supporting them and seven voting against.

There will now be a “cooling off” period until the next committee meeting on Sept 30.

Planning officials will draw up responses to the objections before the next meeting, where councillors will vote for a second time on the development.