FURIOUS locals have blasted a seaside sauna business – claiming “naked and semi-naked” strangers bare all outside their homes.
Neighbours living by Caswell Bay in Swansea say the facility has caused a “disturbance” to the once-quiet coastal spot.
They complained about issues such as noise, safety fears and a stream of visitors wandering past their properties.
Now the council has sided with residents and rejected plans to keep the site running.
The row centres on Halsa Sauna, which has been operating since 2023 in the grounds of a detached house close to the popular beach.
In total, 43 objections were lodged, with locals raising a string of concerns including shouting and screaming, a lack of toilets, issues with parking, and nude guests.
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The sauna – which advertises “beachside bliss where sauna meets the sea” – includes a steam room, three cold water barrels, showers and a changing area surrounded by fencing.
Customers are said to park hundreds of metres away before walking along Caswell Road or the beach to reach the site.
Planning officers ruled the development was causing “noise and disturbance” harmful to nearby residents.
They also highlighted privacy concerns, warning an external staircase used by customers led to overlooking into neighbouring homes.
Safety issues were flagged by residents, with no pavement along parts of the route visitors must take.
The business had previously appeared on the council’s tourism website before being removed when officials realised it did not have the proper planning consent.
An application for retrospective planning permission was later submitted on behalf of owner Gareth Davies – nearly a year after the sauna had already been set up.
A planning statement on Mr Davies’s behalf said a high-quality tourist business had been created which was shielded from wider public viewing points.
It said up to eight sauna customers could attend at any one time although four was the average number.
“The customers are carefully managed by the business management and arrivals and departures carefully managed to ensure no conflict between customer bookings,” it said.
The planning statement added that bird and bat boxes would be incorporated to help biodiversity.
But planners were unconvinced, also raising questions about drainage from the showers and barrels and warning the scheme failed to protect the surrounding Gower Area of Outstanding Natural Beauty.
They added that trees and shrubs had been cleared before permission was sought.
The application was ultimately refused on nine grounds.
It is not yet known whether Gareth will appeal the refusal to the Planning Inspectorate.
The Sun has approached Halsa Sauna for comment.