Christine Chapman AM

Chair, Communities, Equality and Local Government Committee

National Assembly for Wales

Dear Ms Chapman,

I am the business manager of Islawrffordd Holiday Home Park in Talybont nr Barmouth Gwynedd our business providing 75 fully serviced hard standing pitches for touring caravans/motor-homes, 30 occasional camping pitches and 201 plots for static holiday homes.

I offer my brief response to the consultation on the Holiday Caravan Sites (Wales) Bill in conjunction with my trade association (the  BH&HPA) who has responded on behalf of all members, their response I wholeheartedly endorse.

Since attaining my present position some 23 years ago we have invested heavily in the business especially over the last 10 years, i.e. in excess of £2,000,000, the main improvements being piped gas to all holiday homes, improved fully serviced hard standing pitches, a toilet and shower facility that is second to none and new reception, all of which has culminated in Islawrffordd attaining  5 star grading and being voted the best camp site in Wales 2012.

In short I feel this Bill is equivalent to using a sledge hammer to crack a peanut and (forgive me for being cynical) that it is no coincidence that this Bill is proposed by Darren Millar whose area is probably the worst for not self regulating the problems that this Bill is intended to eradicate at the expense of the majority of well run holiday parks. For example, I do not see that fixed penalties, fit and proper person licensing and interim managers are appropriate for the holiday park industry as they are drawn from housing regulation which, together with other constraints I believe will put our sector of the tourism industry at a disadvantage, a disadvantage we can well do without given tourism is such a vital industry to the welsh economy.

Yours sincerely,

John G. Billingham

E. G. Evans & Sons Ltd

Islawrffordd Caravan Park

Talybont

Nr Barmouth

Gwynedd

LL43 2AQ