THE Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (NPA) has approved the designation of Cresswell Quay as a Conservation Area, recognising its unique architectural and historical significance. The decision, confirmed by Authority Members at the NPA meeting on Wednesday, 23 October, follows an extensive consultation period, during which strong community support for the designation was expressed.

The new Conservation Area status will help protect Cresswell Quay’s distinctive character by ensuring that any future developments enhance the area’s historic and natural features.

Sara Morris, Director of Place and Engagement, commented: “The designation of Cresswell Quay as a Conservation Area provides vital protections for both its built environment and the surrounding landscape. We’ve taken into account valuable feedback from the community, including an extension of the boundary to include woodland on the northern bank of the estuary.”

The eight-week public consultation, which included a drop-in event at Pisgah Chapel schoolroom, saw positive responses from the community, with no objections raised. The designation will now be officially publicised through statutory notices in a local newspaper and the London Gazette.

As part of this process, an Integrated Assessment has been completed to evaluate the impacts of the designation on biodiversity, the Welsh language, and other factors. The Authority will also be developing a Conservation Area Appraisal and Management Plan, which is expected to be presented in early 2025.

PLANS to restrict profit making in the care of looked-after children cleared the first hurdle in the Senedd amid concerns about unintended consequences.

Senedd members voted to agree to the principles of the health and social care bill, which aims to restrict private profit, but warned of “huge risks” in practical terms.

Dawn Bowden, Wales’ social care minister, cautioned that the cost of caring for looked-after children has increased from £60m a decade ago to around £200m today.

“If we carry on that trajectory, we will be looking at a bill for local authorities of around £1bn in the next ten years,” she said, stressing that doing nothing is not an option.

Ms Bowden added: “We don’t want to see children treated as commodities in the care sector; we want to see investment in the care of our looked-after children.”

Russell George, who chairs the Senedd’s health committee, called for investment beyond the £68m the Welsh Government has already committed to the policy.

The Conservative said a majority of members supported the principles but the committee raised “very real concerns” about how the bill will work.

Mr George told the Senedd: “There are huge risks for the sufficiency and sustainability of residential and foster places … as an unknown number of providers leave the market.”

He said the cost of caring for looked-after children has risen dramatically in the past decade, which seems unsustainable with councils already facing enormous pressures.

Plaid Cymru’s Peredur Owen Griffiths raised the finance committee’s concerns about the “disappointing, below par” quality of information provided alongside the bill.

He said the minister wrote to the committee in October to confirm the total cost of the bill at £429m to £455m, a full three months after giving evidence.

“Although we are grateful for the clarification, this approach is simply not good enough,” said the committee chair who raised concerns about “fundamental ambiguities”.

Buffy Williams warned the bill makes it easier for councils to place children out of county.

The Labour chair of the children’s committee explained councils would be required to find accommodation “within or near to” the area rather than the current “must be within”.

She said: “We have significant concerns about this proposal…. Given the critical shortage of quality placements, we fear these provisions will mean that children are inevitably placed further away from their homes.”

Altaf Hussain, the Conservatives’ shadow social care minister, said the bill has admirable intentions but he warned of unintended consequences.

“This bill could lead to a huge decline in the care of looked-after children,” he said.

Dr Hussain told the Senedd seven councils in Wales provide no care at all, “so the private sector is the only game in town”, as he criticised ministers for “demonising” providers.

Mabon ap Gwynfor, Plaid Cymru’s shadow health secretary, backed the aims of the bill which was part of his party’s now-collapsed cooperation deal with the Welsh Government.

He said £3 for every £10 spent on foster care in Wales is going into the pockets of shareholders rather than being reinvested in improving the quality of services.

Mike Hedges, who chairs the legislation committee, was concerned that details of the bill’s impact on key issues such as human rights were not published in time for scrutiny.

“The lack of timely information from the government was a theme of our findings,” he said.

Mr Hedges criticised potentially misleading Welsh Government statements about the “elimination” of private profit from the care of looked-after children.

He clarified that the bill would restrict, rather than eliminate, profit.

Mr Hedges also raised concerns about the lack of an end date for transitional arrangements.

His Labour colleague Joyce Watson called for a national register of foster carers.

Jane Dodds, a former social care worker who is the Liberal Democrats’ leader in Wales, described the current system as dysfunctional.

She said: “If we think about it, we are paying our council tax; that goes straight into the shareholders’ pockets and it doesn’t meet the needs of those really vulnerable children.”

Ms Dodds urged ministers to avoid pitfalls from the experience in Scotland, where a study showed councils spent £218m on for-profit care despite a similar commitment in 2020.

Following the debate on October 22, Senedd members backed the bill, 37-14, with Labour, Plaid Cymru and Ms Dodds in favour while the Conservatives voted against.

The bill now moves on to the second of four stages in the Senedd law-making process, which will see the health committee consider detailed amendments.

A SCHEME for a new adventure tourism hub in north Pembrokeshire has been given the go-ahead despite concerns raised about the potential impact on wildlife and local objections to the building to be used.

In an application before the October meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Adventure Beyond Ltd sought permission for an outdoor adventure centre, and associated works at The Old Bus Depot, Moylegrove.

The application has been before multiple meetings of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee; the plot originally used as a bus depot by the founder of the Richards Bros bus company.

Concerns have been raised about the scheme, including local community council Nevern, and opponents fear that increased business for adventure firms will worsen the plight of birds and animals including seals.

A number of letters of support have also been received saying it would provide support for the local tourist economy, protect local jobs, and redevelop a brownfield site.

The application was previously deferred at both the June and July meetings, the former for a site visit, and was latterly subject to a Welsh Government Holding Direction before it was decided it would not be ‘called-in’ for Welsh Government determination.

A report for Park members ahead of the October meeting said: “Through the application process a revised design has been submitted as an amendment which is considered to better respect the local vernacular of an edge of settlement development, and re-consultation has taken place.”

It added: “The amended design is considered to be appropriate as a response to the specific location and not to result in a development form which is visually intrusive.  The siting of the buildings is considered appropriate and not to result in a significant adverse impact on any neighbouring properties. 

“Whilst the use of the adventure centre will result in a greater level of trip generation than the existing vacant use of the land, it is recognised that national planning policy supports the appropriate redevelopment of previously developed land.

“The building has been described as overbearing due to its two-storey nature. The original building was single storey, built to be able to service buses, but did not have a first floor. This proposal originally comprised a much more industrial looking building with a low shallow pitched roof and a full first floor.

“The application was revised, with the request that the building be made a more traditional rural shape with the pitch of the first floor being more towards the eastern end of the site in order to minimise impacts on the adjacent residential properties.”

Recommending the scheme is supported the report said: “Overall, the proposal is considered to comply with relevant national and local planning policies and can be supported subject to the imposition of appropriate planning conditions.”

Nevern Communiuty Council, in its concerns has said: “We reflect the community’s concern about disturbance of Ceibwr Bay regarding nesting auks and seals.  The building is still far too high, the original building being 6.3 m, the proposed building 8.5 m, and due to the fact there is to be no art studio or commercial use of the upper storey, this could now be lowered to a reasonable height.

“Car parking has changed several times in a couple of months and not one of the plans reflects the fact that there is need for parking for vehicles with towing trailers.  Electric bikes are of a concern on the narrow lanes, up to 20 bikes on Ceibwr lane is dangerous.

“The traffic analysis was not done in the height of summer especially on warm days, which would reflect a more genuine result. Nevern Community Councillors have great concerns about this venture.”

One of those raising concerns at the meeting was local community councillor Richard George who said the scheme had regularly been before the committee, with “over 60 documents on this controversial development” submitted, adding the Ceibwr Bay beach area, which he felt “should have eco-tourism at its heart,” rather than “leisure tourism”.

Scheme project manager Peter Ainsworth said the proposal had been “developed with meticulous care,” with Jet Moore of Adventure Beyond Ltd having operated in the area for 30 years “harmonious with the seals and local wildlife”.

He said the majority of access to Ceibwr would be by pedal cycle rather than electric, stressing Adventure Beyond was not the only user of coastal facilities, the area used by other businesses as well as members of the public.

Cllr Clare George felt the scheme could be a way of regulating some of the bay usage, saying: “Are we holding this one company responsible for the impact of unregulated activity by others on this site? It does give use the ability to regulate this company.”

Despite a call by local member Cllr Mike James the scheme was approved by national park planners.

Speaking after the meeting, Peter Ainsworth said: “We are delighted to have received planning permission for the development at the Moylegrove Old Bus Depot. Our vision has always been to enhance the community by providing improved facilities that support outdoor activities while respecting and preserving the natural beauty and wildlife of the area.

“This project reflects our commitment to environmental stewardship and to fostering opportunities for people of all backgrounds to engage with nature.

“We look forward to working closely with the local community and stakeholders as we move forward, ensuring that the development brings positive benefits for both residents and visitors.

“We are excited about the positive impact this will have on local tourism, education, and the wellbeing of those who experience the wonderful environment of Ceibwr Bay.”