A CALL to redevelop a Pembrokeshire town centre Barclays bank building, empty since 2018, has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, local business BP Betterspoons Ltd, through agent GMW Design, sought permission for a change of use of the former Barclays Bank, Market Square, Fishguard – in the town’s conservation area – to a flexible retail use, along with alterations to the building and the creation of two residential flats.

A supporting statement prepared by Johnston Planning Ltd said: “The applicants are a local business who run a number of successful hospitality establishments within the county, they seek the refurbishment of the existing building and aspire to a flexible retail use (covering use classes A1, A2 & A3) in order to maximise the potential for continued occupation of this prominent town centre building.

“This is a large detached two storey structure (with additional roof accommodation) occupying a prominent position on the main square in the centre of Fishguard flanked by the Royal Oak (separated by an alleyway) to the west and St Marys Church (separated by a portion of the cemetery) to the east.”

It says the currently vacant building “clearly has a negative impact on the character of the centre especially given its central position within the town,” adding the proposal “would clearly have a beneficial impact on the character of the conservation area.”

It concluded: “The scheme as proposed seeks the refurbishment and re-use of an existing building within the primary town centre location and the Fishguard Conservation Area. Given the primary frontage location maximum scope is sought for the proposed retail use in order to maximise the chances for full and meaningful occupation in a fashion that will enhance the vitality and viability of the town centre.

“The expansion of use is considered to be acceptable and manageable in planning terms. Similarly the scheme seeks to introduce an additional residential unit within the existing building footprint thereby maximising its potential whilst simultaneously adding to the provision of housing in the plan area.”

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.

THE FINAL sign-off for an estate of 91 houses in a Pembrokeshire town, more than 40 per cent of them affordable, has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application approved at the December meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, Wales & West Housing Association sought permission for 91, one, two, three and four-bedroomed homes on land to the north of Adams Drive and to the west of Bloomfield Gardens, Narberth.

28 affordable homes are proposed, along with 12 houses as Low-Cost Home Ownership Units, the remaining 51 homes for open market sale, the meeting hearing the affordable units would have a local letting policy.

Agent Asbri Planning Ltd, in a supporting statement, said: “The design led approach will create a high-quality place, that sensitively sits within the site retained wildlife corridors and positively connects to the community of Narberth.”

It added: “The development of a mixed tenure site for different types of homes will cater for a variety of local people. These include first-time buyers, growing families looking to move up the property ladder, those looking for bungalows or to downsize for their retirement.

“As indicated approximately half of the homes proposed will be for social rent or offered for sale as part of a discounted home ownership scheme for local people who want to buy their own home but cannot afford the high cost of houses in Narberth.”

The discounted sale properties will be delivered via Wales & West Housing’s ‘Own Home Cymru’ scheme which helps buyers with a local connection to purchase a home of their own at 70 per cent of market value without the need for a deposit.

Narberth Town Council has raised concerns about site access and the ability of the town’s infrastructure to cope with the additional homes.

Some 16 letters of concern were also received by planners, issues including site access concerns and safety, the traffic should be more equally split between the two sites, and the scheme exacerbating gridlock conditions already experienced on the town centre one-way system.

The application was conditionally backed with delegated powers given to the head of planning to approve subject to conditions including a Section 106 legal agreement.

That agreement has now been secured, conditions including the provision of affordable housing in perpetuity and the implementation of a local lettings policy, a financial contribution to mitigate the impact of development on primary education provision and one towards off-site play space provision; with full planning conditionally approved.

Narberth was featured in The Sunday Times 2023 Best Places to Live Guide, where it was described as having “a town centre that punches far above its weight”.

Financial exports soar by 63.5% to £4.3bn

WALES has outpaced every other part of Great Britain in export growth for financial and related professional services, according to a new report by TheCityUK.

The report, Exporting from across Britain: Financial and related professional services 2025, reveals that exports from Wales surged by 63.5% in 2022, reaching £4.3bn—significantly ahead of the national average.

Across Great Britain, total financial and related professional services exports rose by 18.4% to £158bn, with nearly half (47%) generated outside London. Wales contributed 2.9% of the UK’s total financial services exports and 2% of the related professional services total.

The report provides a breakdown of 2022 data by region and nation, highlighting the growing contribution of areas outside London in strengthening the UK’s role as a global financial centre.

In terms of export destinations, 27% of Wales’s financial services exports went to the European Union, with the remaining 73% reaching markets across the rest of the world.

Tom Bray, TheCityUK Chair for Wales and Senior Office Partner (Cardiff) at Eversheds Sutherland, said: “It’s great to see such strong growth in Wales for financial and related professional services exports. Our skill and ability to provide high-quality financial and professional services plays an important role in driving growth in Wales, creating jobs and opportunities for communities across the nation.”

Anjalika Bardalai, Chief Economist and Head of Research at TheCityUK, added: “In 2022, Wales had an extremely strong year of export growth, albeit from a lower base than most regions. Nearly half of all UK exports in financial and related services now come from outside London, reinforcing the UK’s strength as an international financial hub and the importance of regional contributions.”

Policy recommendations

TheCityUK report also outlines a series of recommendations for industry, government, and regulators to support export growth in Wales and beyond. These fall under three key areas:

1. Improving access to trade opportunities

• Better coordination between UK government, devolved administrations, and investment bodies.
• Align local growth strategies with national trade goals.
• Launch a pilot national brokerage scheme to connect capital with investable projects.

2. Expanding global market access

• Finalise FTAs with Switzerland and India, ensuring better market access and digital trade provisions.
• Use talks with the Gulf Cooperation Council to promote regulatory cooperation.
• Strengthen regulatory dialogues with major markets like the US, EU, Japan, and Singapore.
• Replicate successful models like the UK-Switzerland MRA with other global financial centres.
• Encourage domestic and international investment into UK scale-up businesses.

3. Positioning the UK for future demand

• Make the UK a global hub for data, tech, and innovation.
• Establish the UK as the gateway for international investment.
• Focus development work on high-potential markets to maximise value.

The report underlines that Wales’s performance demonstrates the growing importance of the UK’s nations and regions in maintaining the country’s competitive edge on the global stage.