James Cartlidge MP highlights strategic role of training area in national security and local economy

JAMES CARTLIDGE, the UK Shadow Secretary of State for Defence, has visited Castlemartin Training Area on Thursday (Apr 16) to meet personnel and discuss the site’s importance to both UK defence capability and the Pembrokeshire economy.

Castlemartin Training Area has a long-established role in the community, having been established in 1938 for tank training by the Royal Armoured Corps. The range was temporarily abandoned following the Second World War but reopened in 1951. From 1961 to 1996 it was also used by German Bundeswehr armoured units under NATO agreements. Today, it is regarded as one of the UK’s premier live-fire armoured training facilities, regularly used to prepare troops for operational deployment.

During the visit, the Shadow Defence Secretary was joined by Paul Davies and Samuel Kurtz, both former Pembrokeshire MSs and Conservative candidates for the Ceredigion Penfro constituency in the upcoming Senedd election on May 7. They highlighted the training area’s role in sustaining skilled local employment, supporting the wider supply chain, and underpinning the presence of the Armed Forces in West Wales.

Discussions also focused on the importance of maintaining strong defence capability amid global instability, alongside the contribution made by defence infrastructure to local communities and businesses across Pembrokeshire.

James Cartlidge MP, Conservative Shadow Defence Secretary, said: “Our Armed Forces rely on world-class training facilities like Castlemartin to ensure they are prepared for the challenges they face.

“It is clear this site plays a crucial role not only in UK national defence but also in supporting local jobs and the wider economy here in Pembrokeshire.”

Paul Davies said: “Castlemartin is an incredibly important asset for Pembrokeshire and for the UK as a whole.

“It supports skilled jobs locally and brings significant economic benefits to the area, as well as playing a key role in training our Armed Forces. We have a proud military history here, with many veterans living in the community.

“We also made clear during the visit that it was the Welsh Conservatives who fought to secure the extension of the 14th Signal Regiment at Cawdor Barracks, protecting jobs and ensuring a continued military presence in the county.”

Samuel Kurtz added: “We are proud of the role Pembrokeshire plays in supporting our Armed Forces. As a former MS with Castlemartin within my constituency, I have worked to build relationships and champion this important military site.

“Facilities like Castlemartin are vital. It is essential they continue to receive the support and investment needed to remain world-leading, and not be repurposed for any other use.”

The visit also underlined Conservative commitments to defence, including increasing defence spending, strengthening the Armed Forces, and ensuring the UK remains secure in an increasingly uncertain world.

It further provided an opportunity to highlight the importance of the defence industry supply chain and the range of businesses across the region that contribute to the sector.

PLANS to convert a former art gallery to a dental surgery on the edge of a Pembrokeshire town have been refused.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Ahmed Abouserwel, through agent A.D Architectural Design Consultants LTD, sought permission for a change of use of the former Kadinsky gallery, Redstone Road, Narberth, to a dental surgery, along with associated works.

A supporting statement said: “The existing open plan gallery space will be transformed into the main dentist area, with a glazed internal lobby, leading directly into the open reception / waiting area. There will be five treatment rooms accessed directly off the reception, with a private archive room behind the reception desk.

“The rear lean-to projection will be extended to the north to accommodate a proposed decontamination room and to re-model the Staff area and W.C provision (number to remain as existing).”

It said the proposal would create 10 full and three part-time jobs.

An officer report recommending refusal said concerns were raised by the county Highways authority, who having assessed the application on safety, capacity and policy considerations, recommended the application be REFUSED on the grounds of insufficient evidence provided.

“The submitted design and access statement and block plan indicate on-site parking provision for 16 vehicles, located to the north and west of the building. The application form states that the site will employ 10 full-time staff and three part-time staff. However, the submission does not differentiate between practitioners and ancillary/support staff.”

It said, on planning guidance, health centres require three spaces per practitioner; and one space per three ancillary staff, adding: “As the applicant has not provided a breakdown of staff roles, the Highway Authority is unable to assess whether the proposed parking provision is adequate.”

It stressed: “Whist there is no in-principle objection to the redevelopment of this established site for a dental surgery, insufficient information has been provided to fully assess the proposal.”

It was refused on the grounds including it would lead “to the unjustified loss of an employment premises in a location which contributes to the local supply of employment land and buildings,” adding: “Insufficient evidence has been submitted to demonstrate that the building is no longer suitable or viable for continued employment use, nor that there is overriding community need to justify its loss.”

It was also refused on the grounds that “Insufficient information has been submitted to demonstrate that the development would operate without giving rise to unacceptable highway safety impacts or on street parking pressure”.

RETROSPECTIVE plans for a Pembrokeshire horse menage have been allowed despite being on land of a quality which normally precludes development.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Grant and Kayli Goddard, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission to retain a horse menage on land South of Ferny Glen, Roch, works having been completed last March.

A supporting statement said one of the complications to the application was a predictive agricultural land classification changing the grade of the land from 3b to 2 as part of the most recent predictive classification.

Planning Policy Wales states that agricultural land of grades 1, 2 and 3a of the Agricultural Land Classification, often known as Best and Most Versatile (BMV) land, should be conserved as a finite resource for the future and should only be developed if there is an overriding need for the development and either previously developed land or land in lower agricultural grades is unavailable.

The supporting statement says there were mitigating factors, the holding being a mixed use one of forestry, agriculture and equestrian use, and development elsewhere on-site would potentially give rise to loss of sensitive green infrastructure and significant levelling and excavation works.

It added: “There is a need for the development inherent with the location of the stables, but also a need for the applicant for the wellbeing and health benefits of family members. The applicant lives and works a short distance from the site and therefore the site is the most logical location and essentially the only location for the development.”

It also said the area of the land “is small and insignificant within the wider land holding and extent of agricultural land in the locality”.

An officer report recommending approval said, following an agricultural land classification (ALC) report, the Landscapes, Nature and Forestry department of Welsh Government had been consulted regarding agricultural land quality.

“The department comment that a detailed ALC field survey is not practical or representative for such a small area (<1.0ha) especially in retrospect as soils have been disturbed on site. The ALC report therefore cannot be accepted as an accurate reflection of the land quality.

“The Landscapes, Nature and Forestry department consider that due to the small area of potential predicted BMV (0.12ha), exceptionally in this case the Department does not recommend the application of BMV agricultural land policy.”

The application was conditionally approved.