A REDUNDANT Anglesey chapel on a historic site with “spectacular” coastal and mountain views is at the centre of a luxury holiday accommodation plan.
A screening opinion for the development of the disused Tabor Chapel at Holyhead Mountain has been received by Anglesey County Council.
The planning process establishes whether a development needs an environmental impact assessment based on the site’s characteristics, location, and potential impact.
The chapel, which was sold in March, 2024, is at the centre of Holyhead Mountain village, about 2km to the west of Holyhead and south of Breakwater Country Park.
From 1841 onwards the area saw a dramatic expansion in population as workers on the breakwater settled on the mountain slopes. The existing small Congregationalist Capel Tabor was built in 1904. It had replaced an earlier 1848 thatched roofed chapel that stood to the north west end of Pentre Pella.
The plans say it was dedicated to Mount Tabor, a large hill of Biblical significance in Lower Galilee.
In its elevated position, the plans described the property as having “spectacular coastal views” over Holyhead port and the Eryri mountains.
The area also includes other designations, including being an Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty, Site of Special Scientific Interest and Special Protection Area.
The application notes it is the applicant’s intent is to “bring the chapel back to life” as a two bedroom holiday accommodation “hosting walkers and tourists to the local area”.
It is described as open plan with a panelled dropped ceiling. The proposal says “to maximise the space, the design intent is to strip the dropped panelled ceiling, creating an open vaulted ceiling”.
It added: “This also allows space for a mezzanine to create an additional bedroom, en suite and a walkway beneath Velux balcony roof lights allowing views over the outstanding natural landscape.”
The proposals also include the demolition of the front entrance way and the asbestos roofed lean-to storage area.
Plans note: “There will be a sensitive nod to the previous entrance lobby in the form of a covered porch over the new entrance door.
“This space will accommodate an open plan kitchen/ dining / living area with log burner, as well as two double bedrooms, both with en-suites.
“This will be highly specified to provide luxury accommodation to tourists visiting the local area.
“With the two small elements at the front of the building removed, there is space to park a car within the boundary, keeping the public highway free.”
The application has been made by D Clowes through the agent Cambrian Planning.
The developers say: “There will be no change to the scale of the existing building in the context, with the exception of the removal of the front entrance hall and the addition of the roof lights, the chapel will remain largely unaltered in scale or detail.”
They also note the layout has been “designed to retain the height and scale of the chapel as much as possible internally”.
It adds: “An open plan kitchen-diner- lounge will occupy the main space with the vaulted ceiling above.
“A double bedroom with en-suite will sit at the back of the chapel, with another above this accessed via a staircase and open balcony overlooking the main living space as well as the very subtle balcony Velux roof lights allowing views over the surrounding landscape.”
The plans would also see development at the front of the building to provide “space to park a car within the boundary” and an existing grass area to the side of the chapel would remain, as “low maintenance green space” it adds.
Planners will now consider the screening opinion request.
