The stone building and surrounding woodland setting was used for several months in 2024 to film scenes in the 2025 movie Anemone, which included a prominent cast including Sean Bean and Samantha Morton.
Directed by Ronan Day-Lewis, the son of Daniel, it explored the ties between brothers, fathers, and sons, and included scenes filmed at several locations on the island and North Wales, and saw filming at Anglesey’s Aria Studios.
The Cottage As It Was Made To Look During The Filming Of The Anemone Film (Image Io ACC Planning Documents)
Anglesey County Council has now received a full planning application to convert the semi-derelict property at Clyddyn, Pentraeth.
The former cottage would be converted into a storage facility and see the erection of a storage building. An existing pig-sty would also be converted into a bat roost, the plans state.
The Pig Sty At Clyddyn, At Pentraeth. (Image Io ACC Planning Documents)
The site would “provide secure, biological record storage, equipment storage and occasional working space for the maintenance of conservation equipment for red squirrel and pine marten conservation projects across north west Wales”.
“The main part of the proposal is to convert the cottage and erect a timber building adjacent,” the proposal stated. .
The application has been made by Dr Craig Shuttleworth through the agent David Jones of Cybi Planning.
The proposals describe how “red squirrels are a priority species in Wales, facing ongoing threats from habitat fragmentation, competition with invasive grey squirrels and disease, particularly squirrel pox virus”.
It also noted that pine martens played “a key ecological role as a native predator and are increasingly recognised as contributing to natural control of grey squirrels”.
The Derelict Cottage Clyddyn, At Pentraeth. (Image Io ACC Planning Documents)
Other details in the application noted that the application site, was in “a central location to control incursions by grey squirrels, which generally occur in the Llansadwrn to Beaumaris area.
“Sixty grey squirrels have been removed since February, 2024”, the application noted.
A former pig-sty would be converted into a bat roost, as part of ecology survey enhancement measures and a Victorian railway carriage, used by bats as an active night feeding roost and for shelter between “nocturnal foraging bouts” would remain “unaffected”.
The scheme would see the retention of the stone walls of the old cottage, with a new natural slate roof proposed. Fascia windows and the door would be of timber and roof-lights of a “conservation type”.
The plans noted that it was understood that the cottage was occupied until the 1970s and may have been lived in by a game keeper. A vehicular from the B5019 is still used to access the site.
It noted that retrospection planning was being sought for a hard-standing area, at the entrance with the B5019 and path leading to it connecting the cottage.
The planning submission also noted that the applicant had managed red squirrel and pine marten conservation on Anglesey since 1997.
“This included the successful eradication of grey squirrels from the island and the reintroduction of red squirrels to the Dingle, Llangefni, Newborough Forest and Plas Newydd,” it stated.
“Since 2010 he has been an Honorary Visiting Research Fellow at Bangor University, and as a freelance consultant has advised Natural Resources Wales and Red Squirrel Trust Wales.
“He has co-ordinated successful EU and national Heritage Lottery fund applications bringing £1.5M to red squirrel projects in Wales.
“His current work on behalf of Red Squirrels Trust Wales, is to prevent grey squirrels recolonising Anglesey through the control of mainland populations and the removal of the animals found on Anglesey.”