Clwyd West AM Darren Millar has welcomed recommendations in the Environment Agency Wales report into the floods of earlier this year, but is concerned it does not fully address issues regarding caravan parks and mobile homes.
The Environment Agency report contains 11 recommendations to actions to ensure better flood awareness at the local level, and particularly in hard-to-reach and more vulnerable communities.
The threat of flooding is significant across coastal Conwy and Denbighshire and with over 50,000 caravan bed spaces in Towyn and Kinmel Bay alone, Darren is disappointed the report does not fully address risk issues relating to caravans and mobile homes.
Speaking after raising the matter with the Environment Minister in the Senedd, Darren said:
"I am concerned that some issues have not been fully addressed by the Environment Agency report, particularly in terms of caravan parks and mobile homes.
"There are a number of holiday parks seeking permission to designate part of their camps as mobile homes, which would make them permanent residential sites in a prime flood-risk area in Towyn – this cannot be acceptable in an area which was devastated by floods in 1990.
"It is a growing trend and there needs to be clear planning and licensing guidance for local authorities to follow when such applications are made."