A PROPOSED new ‘traveller site’ on the outskirts of a Pembrokeshire village, which has seen a petition of nearly 300 objections, has been refused by national park planners.

The Authority has served an Enforcement Notice on the site, which requires its return to its previous condition.

The scheme for the creation of one traveller site incorporating one static caravan, one touring caravan, day/utility room and ecological enhancements (partly retrospective) on land at Froghall Yard, Moreton Lane, Saundersfoot, was recommended for refusal at the May 21 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, having previously been deferred for a site visit by members.

Nearly 300 people have signed a petition against the scheme and the objection to the site is also being shared by the village’s community council.

Around 50 people attended a recent meeting of the community council when members voted unanimously to object to the application by Dai Evans of Pontypool, through agents Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd.

Saundersfoot Community Council has pointed out that the site is agricultural land, with no caravan or other use in over 30 years.

There was also concern that the site – where two previous planning applications had been rejected – is overlooked from Incline Way above and cannot be screened.

Members have said granting permission “would be gross overdevelopment setting a precedent for development literally anywhere throughout the national park”.

The community council’s objection finished: “The applicant lives in Pontypool and claims no connection to the area.  There is no rationale as to why the applicant chose a site approximately 100 miles away from their home.”

A supporting statement accompanying the application stated: “The applicant belongs to a long-standing Romany Gypsy family and generations have lived a traditional and cultural lifestyle living in caravans all their lives.

“Mr Evans and his partner currently reside on an overcrowded Traveller site in Pontypool where living conditions are poor. They currently only live in rented accommodation and its brick and mortar and not in keeping with their cultural preference, as they prefer to live in a caravan.”

It says Mr Evans and family have stayed in a touring caravan at the site during the summer months since the late 1980s when it was owned by another gypsy family, later purchased by Mr Evans in 2023, clearing and refurbishing the site.

“The application’s aspirations are to continue his Gypsy culture and traditions residing in a caravan on site.”

A park officer report recommending refusal says the applicant has accommodation and is not currently homeless, giving only moderate weight “to the existing level of outstanding unmet need for Gypsy Traveller accommodation in Pembrokeshire,” adding: “That level of need should be weighed against the likely impact of development on the National Park landscape and habitat in this area.”

It says there has been “significant site clearance undertaken prior to the submission of the application, and the impact on the landscape, biodiversity and ecosystem resilience has been assessed as negative,” with officers considering further caravan development “would exceed landscape capacity”.

Speaking at the meeting on behalf of local residents, Helen Williams questioned the need for the applicant to have a site in Saundersfoot when he lived in Pontypool, adding that residents did not recall any caravans on-site since 1993.

Agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries said he had hoped the application, with a recently revised landscape plans offering additional landscape mitigation, could have been deferred.

He said any refusal would give his client the option of either appealing or “having a free go” for any amended future application.

Mr Vaughan-Harries said that while Pembrokeshire was better than many authorities in the provision of traveller sites there was a need to deliver more.

“It’s premature to make an application today but I still think this site has some merit. The applicant wants to go back to his traveller roots.”

Saundersfoot councillor Chis Williams moved members support the officer recommendation of refusal, adding he supported Mr Vaughan-Harries call for more provision for traveller sites but stressed: “however, I do not think this is the correct location.”

Members backed the recommendation of refusal by 13 votes to two abstentions.

Responding to the refusal after the meeting, Mr Vaughan-Harries said: “To deliver Traveller sites is always a planning challenge but as discussed the essential need more sites is clearly there for the whole of Wales and Pembs. The opportunity of private sites also eases the burden on LPA’s to fund traveller sites

“We respect that site is in PCNP, but there is a policy to still allow Traveller sites in their area subtext to criteria being met.

“The full impact on the ecology and visual impact was not completed by ourselves and applicant due to availability of suitable local  surveyors and conflicts of interest. So it’s likely we will resubmit to improve on the scheme and see if all ecology impacts can be mitigated even if it has to be off-site. This site has remnants of previous use and not a virgin greenfield site.

“I still feel the site can deliver a single traveller poach with up the date assessment and redesigning.”