AMENDMENTS to a trout fishery holiday chalet scheme, which was granted by Pembrokeshire councillors last year after being repeatedly recommended for refusal, have been given the go-ahead by county planners.

Last summer, Pembrokeshire councillors backed plans for holiday chalets at a trout fishery, despite them being recommended for refusal on multiple occasions.

Plans to provide nine accommodation cabins and ancillary works at a former fishery business at Millbrook, Manorwen, Fishguard, were backed at two meetings of Pembrokeshire County Council planning committee, despite them being recommended for refusal.

The application was backed for a second time at the committee’s May meeting, after a ‘minded to approve’ decision at the previous meeting.

The decision, a departure from the adopted Local Development Plan, meant the application would need to be referred to full council for a final decision.

Officers had repeatedly recommended Messrs L & C Williams’ application – diversification of an existing agricultural holding and trout fishery business – be refused on the grounds it would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the character and appearance of the countryside.

The application was then backed at the July 2023 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, despite a recommendation that the council did not endorse the resolution of the planning committee on the grounds it went against Development Plan policies which directed that planning permission should not be granted.

The applicants have now submitted amendments to the granted scheme, asking for revisions to the plans to include a lower carbon footprint through for both heating and hot water and the use of solar panels, along with larger decking areas and hot tubs to lodges.

The changes, recommended for approval at the October 8 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, also includes making thee lodges disability-friendly.

An officer report ahead of the meeting says: “The proposed amendments are essentially refinements to the approved scheme, enhancing accessibility, increasing the use of renewable energy; and improving the facilities offered by the scheme for visitors. Officers consider that environmental, social and economic benefits will accrue from the proposed revisions to the approved scheme.”

The recommendation for conditional approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall, who said: “I’m more than happy to recommend this amendment.”

He was seconded by Cllr John Cole, who said: “It’s a rejigging which will make the site more accessible for people with disabilities.”

The application was unanimously approved.

A PEMBROKESHIRE farm barn attraction previously refused by planning officers, which has gained a 3,500-strong petition of support to keep it running, will be decided later this year.

Late last year, Stuart Williams of Home Farm, Leweston, near Camrose, was refused retrospective permission by planning officers to retain the Willhome Farm Barn farm park – and ancillary buildings – built in June 2022.

The site – whose facilities were used by council educational providers and parents of children with learning difficulties – is home to rabbits, llamas, donkeys, poultry, owls, goats, ponies and pigs, along with a café building, public conveniences, a children’s play area, and parking.

It was refused due to highway safety concerns and fears it would generate additional foul water flows which are likely to result in an increase in phosphate levels in the Cleddau River.

Since the refusal by planners, a change.org petition, Grant Planning Permission for Willhome Farm Barn in Pembrokeshire, was set up by Hook-based Jessica Austin, which has attracted more than 3,500 signatures to date.

Jessica’s petition said: “This decision not only affects this resilient family but also impacts schools attended with over 6,000 pupils, by adults from local wellbeing centres and families with children who have autism or learning difficulties like mine.

“It’s important to note that there are no apparent issues with existing amenities. Roads or waterways. The refusal of planning permission seems unjustified and is causing unnecessary distress within our community.”

Earlier this year, the applicant submitted a fresh call – supported by local community council Camrose – for permission to be granted, which was again due to be decided by planning officers.

At the request of local county councillor, and former council leader, Cllr Jamie Adams, a special meeting was held in July to discuss whether a decision could be made by councillors rather than officers.

Despite a recommendation it be decided by officers, members unanimously agreed to remove delegated powers for approval or refusal, meaning the application would be heard at a future planning committee.

The application was due to be heard at the October 8 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, with a recommendation of refusal, reasons including those given for the previous application.

A report for members concluded: “The proposal would have a negative environmental impact through additional traffic movements.  In addition, insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate management and reduction of traffic to support sustainable travel or to ensure that the public highway remains free and clear from obstruction.”

It added: “The proposed development generates additional foul water flows which are likely to result in an increase in Phosphate levels in the Afon Cleddau, adversely affecting the Cleddau Rivers SAC.”

At the start of the October meeting, members heard the scheme had been temporarily withdrawn to allow the applicant’s agent more time to address highways and foul water drainage concerns, with the plans expected to return to the December planning committee.

A PEMBROKESHIRE supermarket will be nearly a half bigger and employ up to 40 people after plans for a next-generation store were approved yesterday, October 8.

In an application recommended for approval at the October meeting of Pembrokeshire County council’s planning committee, Lidl Great Britain Limited sought to demolish the existing Lidl foodstore and adjoining properties – including the Enterprise Rent-a-Car unit – at Great North Road, Milford Haven, building a new Lidl foodstore with associated works.

A supporting statement through agent CarneySweeney said: “The existing Lidl store is small and of an early generation format. Owing to Lidl’s well-established and growing local customer base, Lidl has outgrown its existing premises which no longer meets modern shopper requirements, and a larger store is sought to better serve local customer demand.

“In addition, the existing store is inefficient with regards to warehouse operations. The proposal for a new store aims to alleviate the problems presented by the existing store.”

It added: “The development is suitably scaled to be no larger than necessary to address identified storage and staff needs and improve the existing store. Moreover, the new store will be better equipped to meet Lidl’s operational requirements, modern day staff requirements and better serve local shopping needs.”

The application says the development would create up to 40 jobs.

The car park will provide 93 spaces, including six disabled spaces, nine ‘parent & child’ spaces and two EV charging spaces, an increase in overall provision of 11 spaces.

An officer report accompanying the meeting said: “The application site comprises the existing Lidl foodstore and its associated car park; a car rental premises fronting Gt. North Road immediately to the north; and three dwellings (Nos. 61, 61a & 61b Gt North Road) which contain the car rental premises to the north and west. No 61 directly fronts Gt North Road and is semi-derelict. Nos 61a & 61b have been unoccupied since late 2020 and early 2021 respectively.

“The car rental premises is a former petrol filling station and underground storage tanks are understood to be situated beneath the site. These are to be removed. The overall application site extends to 0.74 Ha and is owned and controlled by the applicant.”

At the October meeting, members were told the proposal would lead to a 45 increase in the store’s retail sales area, the investment replacing the existing “first generation” Lidl store, believed to be the discount chain’s first store in the county, with an expected “30 per cent increase” in jobs when the development is built.

Approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall, who said: “I think this will be a vast improvement for that area of Milford Haven.”

He was seconded by Cllr Rhys Jordan, who said he thought it was the first Lidl in Pembrokeshire, adding: “I think it will be very welcome to the people of Milford Haven, given the cost-of-living crisis there’s been a huge increase in the use of these stores.”

Another welcoming the proposal was Cllr Mark Carter, who said: “Milford Haven has more people living in it than Haverfordwest, but has a choice of two major supermarkets at the moment, Haverfordwest has four.

“It’s going to have a modern, fresh frontage to it which will brighten the area up; it will provide the people of Milford Haven with a better choice of goods to buy; I fully support this application.”