Gimblet Rock in Pwllheli gets the go-ahead for a floating pontoon

A holiday park on the edge of Pwllheli harbour has been given planning permission for a floating pontoon and pedestrian gangway. Cyngor Gwynedd granted the application at Gimblet Rock, Morfa’r Garreg, on 1 October 2026, with conditions, as reported by Local Democracy Reporter Dale Spridgeon.

Here is what was approved, what the plans are for, and what still has to happen before anything is built on the Llŷn Peninsula site.

What was approved?

According to the report, published by north.wales and also carried by Cambrian News and North Wales Live, the full application was for a floating pontoon and a pedestrian gangway supported by steel pile foundations. The reports describe Gimblet Rock as a five-star coastal holiday caravan park.

The application was made by W Williams of Pario Leisure Group, Gimblet Rock Caravan Park, through the agent Rhys Davies of Cadnant Planning. It covered part of the foreshore and part of the holiday park. The plans noted that the site is within land leased to Cyngor Gwynedd by The Crown Estate, and within the Pwllheli Harbour area, where the council is the harbour authority.

Conditions to protect wildlife and neighbours

During the planning process, consultation responses raised concerns about the possible impact of jet skis and power boats on sea-cliff nesting birds, seals, porpoises and dolphins. The permission was granted with conditions, which the report says included “safeguarding” measures over the amenity of neighbouring properties and land, along with protection for visual amenity, marine wildlife and the environment.

The pontoon has also been through a separate regulator. In June 2025, Natural Resources Wales published a notice that Pario Leisure Group Limited had applied for a marine licence to construct a floating pontoon and access gangway at Gimblet Rock outer harbour. We have not been able to confirm the outcome of that application.

What is the pontoon for?

The agent explained that the wider proposals involve “the construction of a concrete slipway and associated turning area, and a floating pontoon to provide access to the water and a potential pick up point to allow customers at Gimblet Rock and others to be ferried across the harbour by water-craft.”

The slipway is the subject of a separate planning application, which the reports say is still awaiting a decision.

The agent also said: “These proposals are not being developed in isolation, there is ongoing discussion with Gwynedd as the Harbour Authority and also the Crown Estate to ensure that Gimblet Rock’s proposals align with the long term [Harbour] Strategy and do not put any proposed future dredging or operational requirements at risk.”

Planning permission is not landowner consent

One point the council was keen to make clear is that planning permission and permission from the landowner are two different things. Responses from council departments said the council had “no objection in principle to the proposed development”, but added that it “is not currently in a position to commit to granting any land rights or to provide landowner consent in respect of the site in question.”

A Cyngor Gwynedd spokesperson said: “Land ownership is not a matter that falls within the planning process. Any planning permission granted would be separate from, and would not override, the need for the landowner’s consent for development to take place on the land.”

A possible land reclamation scheme

The reason for that caution is a longer-term idea for the harbour. The council noted that the site “forms part of an area being considered as a potential location for a future land reclamation scheme, with the intention of creating a facility for the disposal of material dredged from the harbour.”

A response from the Pwllheli Harbour Master and marina manager, dated 5 August 2026, described the area as “a potential site for land reclamation to dispose material as part of a draft, long-term strategy”, adding: “As a result, we would not support the intention to lease the application site until such options have been fully assessed.”

The strategy is described as a draft, and nothing reported so far suggests a decision has been made either way.

Why park facilities can matter to owners

For many people with a holiday home on a park, the setting and the facilities are a big part of the appeal. A pontoon offering water access, and perhaps a way across the harbour, is the kind of addition that could suit owners and guests who enjoy being on the water, if it goes ahead. It is too early to say how it would work in practice or who would be able to use it.

If your own park announces new facilities, it is worth reading the details carefully, including any effect on fees, rules or access during building work. Our guide on how to read a park manager’s letter offers some pointers, and our article on how site fees affect selling a static caravan covers the running costs side.

Gimblet Rock has changed hands in recent years. As our guide to selling a static caravan at a Haulfryn park notes, North Wales Live reported in 2024 that Pario Leisure had bought Gimblet Rock from Haulfryn.

Thinking about your options?

If you own a holiday static caravan or lodge in North Wales and would like to know where you stand, you can ask for a free, no-obligation static caravan valuation or read about our service in North Wales. Static Caravan Buyer charges no commission when we buy your caravan. We cannot promise to buy every caravan, but we are always happy to talk it through. We aim to contact you within 24 hours, and to make an offer within 48 hours after that contact. Payment is made on collection day before the caravan is loaded.

Call us free on 0800 644 5000 or visit www.staticcaravanbuyer.com. Please note we buy holiday static caravans and lodges, not residential park homes.