News
Changes to be made to new Milford Haven Lidl store

AMENDMENTS to a recently-granted scheme for a replacement Lidl store in Milford Haven, which will be nearly a half bigger and employ up to 40 people, have been approved by county planners.
In October, Lidl Great Britain Limited was given conditional approval 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.”
The application said 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.
After approval, with a long string of conditions, Lidl has sought to vary some of them, recently applying for the “discharge of conditions,” amendments relating to the Construction & Environment Management Plan (CEMP), details of external lighting and surface water drainage, a site assessment report condition, and a remediation scheme condition.
No issues were raised by Pembrokeshire planning officers in the early ‘discharge’ of the conditions, but Milford Haven Town council had objected.
A report by planning officers said: “Milford Haven TC, whilst supporting the principle of the site’s redevelopment to provide a new foodstore, have objected to the applications to discharge [the conditions].
“However, following correspondence it is apparent that the objections are based on a misunderstanding, that is that the applications seek to remove the conditions in their entirety.
“The purpose of the applications has been clarified with the town council which has responded by stating: ‘The town council unanimously voted on their position on this subject at full council so I cannot change this decision. As originally stated – MHTC support the overall project and original application however the wording of these further ‘discharge’ matters are best decided upon at county level’.”
The amendments to conditions have been conditionally approved by county planners.
Crime
Goodwick man jailed for stealing prescription tablets from partner

A 47-year-old man from Goodwick has been sentenced to jail after admitting to stealing his partner’s prescription medication.
Andrew Gibbs, of Allt Y Carne, appeared at Swansea Crown Court where he admitted taking four Pregabalin tablets from his long-term girlfriend on February 14.
Prosecuting, Alycia Carpanini told the court that Gibbs had taken the tablets while drinking in the living room earlier that day. He was arrested later that evening on unrelated matters, and officers found the medication in his possession.
During his arrest, Gibbs admitted aloud to police that he had stolen the tablets. He later confirmed the theft in a prepared statement during interview.
The court heard that Gibbs has a lengthy criminal history, with 35 previous convictions covering 68 offences. He had previously faced a series of serious allegations, including actual bodily harm and intentional strangulation against his partner, as well as two further assaults. However, those charges were dropped after the complainants chose not to support the prosecution.
In mitigation, defence barrister Dan Griffiths said his client had been cooperative with police from the outset and had already spent time in custody since his arrest.
Judge Paul Thomas KC imposed a 14-day custodial sentence for the theft, acknowledging the time Gibbs had already spent on remand. He will be released shortly under supervision.
Community
PCSOs and pupils join forces for Pembroke Dock litter pick

DYFED-POWYS POLICE Community Support Officers (PCSOs) 8042 and 8020 joined staff at McDonald’s and Year 5 and 6 pupils from Cosheston VC School for a community litter pick around Pembroke Dock.
As part of the school’s ongoing environmental project, the pupils helped collect seven bags of rubbish while keeping a detailed log of the types of litter found.
PCSOs are uniformed civilian members of police staff who work to support regular police officers and engage with the community. Their involvement helped promote positive relationships between local police and young people.
The event aimed to raise awareness about the importance of looking after the local environment and encouraged children to take pride in their community.
Members of the public are reminded to dispose of their waste responsibly and use the bins provided.

Community
Joyce Watson meets apprentices at Haverfordwest transport hub

A VISIT to the site of the new Haverfordwest public transport interchange has highlighted the role of apprentices and skilled workers in delivering the major infrastructure project.
Joyce Watson MS, who represents Mid and West Wales in the Senedd, toured the construction site on Friday (Mar 21), meeting with workers and hearing how the scheme is creating opportunities for local people.
Mrs Watson, who chairs the Senedd cross-party group on construction and co-chairs the cross-party group on apprenticeships, was briefed on progress by Kier Construction’s project manager Dean Williams and Sheila Holmes, engagement adviser for the Construction Industry Training Board (CITB).

Speaking following the visit, Mrs Watson said: “The Haverfordwest public transport interchange will transform the town’s transportation infrastructure and boost the local economy.
“With around a year’s work still to go, it’s already offering high-quality job opportunities, and I was delighted to meet the talented apprentices working on-site.”
Among those she met was Matthew Thomas, a local trainee working on the project.
Mrs Watson added: “It was a pleasure to meet Matthew, and I believe he has a great future ahead of him.”
Dean Williams, from Kier Construction, said: “It was great to welcome Joyce Watson MS for a tour of our Haverfordwest public transport interchange project. This scheme for Pembrokeshire County Council will deliver a modern transport hub for the local community, improving connectivity and accessibility for residents and visitors alike.”
CITB’s Sheila Holmes added: “We are pleased to be supporting Kier Construction in developing their supply chain for this infrastructure scheme. By doing so, we can invest in local skills, which are vital to the sector and to the regional economy. Projects like this help ensure we meet future skills demands.”
The interchange is part of the Swansea Bay and West Wales Metro programme and has so far received nearly £17 million from the Welsh Government’s Local Transport Fund.
Once completed, the new facility will include improved pedestrian and cycle access, a more efficient bus station with seven bays and upgraded passenger facilities, and a modern multi-storey car park.
The scheme is commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council as part of its town centre regeneration strategy.
The visit was organised as part of Open Doors, a national initiative by Build UK that takes visitors behind the scenes at live construction sites to showcase the range of careers in the industry.
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