Poof-Wellie - The real reason for the marina extension refusal

[NigeCh]

It's racist .... and here it is:

STRATEGIC POLICY 5
To recognise that the Welsh language is a material consideration in assessing the implications of development in Gwynedd. This will be implemented in a manner which ensures that the aim of safeguarding and nurturing the use of the Welsh language in Gwynedd is achieved

Yr draig goch /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif is a pan-pan too farr /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[Jinks]

I'm all for protecting and nurturing the Welsh language but can't for the life of me see why extending a marina and encouraging visitors with (lots of?) money to spend will be detrimental.

It won't affect the number of Welsh speakers who live there, in fact the increased employment opportunities could well encourage some who would otherwise leave to find work to stay. Although they will speak English to the visitors it won't stop them speaking Welsh amongst themselves in the home/pub.

I'm sure that some noted academic has calculated that English visitors will have some form of negative influence but the logic escapes me.

 

[david_e]

One of the concerns is that the number of people speaking the language is declining, which in turn affects the culture of the area.

It is about local democracy and at the end of the day we have to accept the wishes of those who represent the locals.

In the Yorkshire Dales, I understand, they have introduced regs which prevent non locals from buying property in the National Park - similar scenario really, just a different issue.

Any decision like this is bound to have supporters and detractors.

 

[Parsonsheath]

Just don't follow the logic on that, could follow if it meant outsiders forcing prices so high that locals could not compete, but even that could only smell right if the outsiders used houses as holiday homes.
I am old enough to remember looking to rent in London in the days when the signs said no children or foreigners, find that just as racist.
While I have sympathy with some of your sentiments unless there were some national policy cannot swallow it

 

[david_e]

I'm not too fussed one way or another about the extension to the marina, as far as the Yorkshire house price thing goes I can't see much logic in it either, I just use the analagy to illustrate that it isn't racism, just local democracy in action. Most planning and development decisions are decided locally, here I understand that it was the County Council who stopped the plan to expand that was initially approved locally (just to confuse matters). As far as a National plan, OK, but can't see Marinas featuring too highly in it.