News

Cabinet approves transport strategy wish list

Published

2 weeks ago

June 7, 2025

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S Cabinet has endorsed a Regional Transport Strategy that relies on Welsh Government funding of £125m over the next five years. However, the plan also relies on the Council spending other money allocated to it by the Welsh Government to pay for the delivery of Welsh Government as well as local priorities.

Based on comparisons between similar projects, the low end of the cost of delivering the Pembrokeshire-only projects will be at least £66m. That suggests that not only will all the projects not come to fruition in the plan period but also indicates that the Welsh Government funding allocation to them underestimates the cost of delivering the majority, if not all, of the projects.

If the strategy’s budget is fantasy, the prospects of delivering all of it are even more fanciful. The projects in the strategy read like a Guardian reader’s wishlist instead of something grounded in local needs.

ACTIVE TRAVEL SCHEMES DOMINATE

The thirty-plus projects located solely in Pembrokeshire include fifteen schemes solely dedicated to active travel or which incorporate active travel as part of them. In context, and based on the cost of delivering similar schemes, the low-end estimate for “active travel” schemes alone is around £22m.

“Active Travel” under the Welsh Government’s Active Travel Act refers to efforts to reduce the use of cars for everyday journeys, such as commuting and education. Active travel schemes create infrastructure which supports walking, cycling, and wheeling (e.g., wheelchairs, mobility scooters).

Those schemes work well in urban areas. However, in rural areas with dispersed working populations, such as Pembrokeshire, their impact is less beneficial. The now-former Welsh Government minister Lee Waters got an earful from Plaid Cymru and fringe environmental groups (mostly funded by the Welsh Government) when he dared say that cars would continue to be the primary mode of transportation in rural Wales. If an MS from Dolgellau can use an e-scooter to get the mile and a half from their taxpayer-funded flat in Cardiff to the Senedd, there’s evidently no reason why commuters between Fishguard and Haverfordwest can’t do the same.

The active travel schemes planned for Pembrokeshire include a Multi-User Route from Narberth to Haverfordwest, an active travel route from Pembroke Dock to Pennar, one from Pembroke to Angle, six schemes in and around Tenby, and an expansion of the County Council’s e-bike scheme.

BIG TICKET SPENDING

The big spending item is the relocation of the A487 at Newgale. That project has been on the cards for fourteen years, if not longer. It forms part of the Welsh Government’s regional transport strategy as a permanent solution to the challenge of coastal erosion and the increased risks of tidal and pluvial flooding, standing against less certain and temporary interventions to hold the existing line. As it is part of the Regional Strategy, it will be predominantly funded by the Welsh Government through project-specific grants, in the same way as the preliminary investigations and public engagement.

The plan will funnel transport funding towards supporting the Celtic Sea Freeport. Its backers hope the Freeport’s economic impact will be positive and spread across the Freeport area. However, the existing transport infrastructure for it is a bad joke. Addressing its shortcomings is a major component of the Regional Transport Strategy.

Setting aside projects scheduled for Neath Port Talbot, millions of pounds are projected to be spent on hydrogen fuel infrastructure and green/blue energy grid improvements. However, one project guaranteed to cause controversy seeks to increase road capacity and flow through Pembroke to support increased traffic from the Celtic Freeport development in the Angle Peninsula. Bearing in mind obvious geographical and logistical constraints and its need to cross conservation areas and sensitive landscapes within the National Park, any road expansion (there’s also an active travel route planned) will likely cause uproar and cost tens of millions to deliver. That is, however, a long-term project.

MORE TRANSPORT HUBS

In the medium term, the Regional Strategy looks at a multi-million-pound project to improve roads between Haverfordwest and Milford Haven. That scheme looks to address congestion between the county town and the centre of Freeport operations in Pembrokeshire. Again, geographical and logistical issues suggest that the project will find it difficult to do much more than put lipstick on a pig. If, however, the scheme manages to resolve the congestion hotspots at Cartlett, Salutation Square (subject to a separate congestion-easing plan), Freemen’s Way, and Johnston as far as the Sunnycroft Roundabout, it will doubtless be welcomed by commuters.

And, if you thought one transport hub was a bad idea, there’s more to come – from the Milford Haven transport interchange to one planned for Pembroke Dock, improved access to Fishguard’s ferry port, and a host of other projects that will connect Pembrokeshire’s public transport network, as the plan puts it poetically “ensuring better multimodal connectivity”.

Given the almost certain budget problems which these projects will encounter and, therefore, cause the County Council when it comes to setting its budgets, ensuring Pembrokeshire gets what it needs to improve the local economy instead of what the Welsh Government thinks it ought to have will be a major source of tension and contention.

If half of the plan is delivered on time, on budget, and within the Welsh Government’s funding envelope, its effects will be limited – as we will all have pigs to fly around on.

Community

Coastal footpath between Coppet Hall and Wiseman’s Bridge reopens

Published

6 hours ago

June 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Popular route restored after months of safety work following landslides

THE COASTAL footpath between Coppet Hall and Wiseman’s Bridge has officially reopened—just in time for the warm weather and summer visitors.

The scenic route, which is a favourite among walkers and cyclists, had been closed for several months due to a series of landslides that made the path unsafe. Pembrokeshire County Council confirmed on Wednesday (June 19) that the stretch has now reopened following major safety repairs.

The council praised the efforts of its teams and contractors who “worked tirelessly” to make the route safe again. Temporary fencing, slope stabilisation and other remedial work has been completed to ensure the safety of all users.

A spokesperson for the local authority said: “Thanks to everyone for their patience while the important safety work was carried out over the last few months. And a big thank you to the council teams and contractors who’ve worked so hard to get the path open again.”

The reopening has been welcomed by residents, local businesses and tourism operators in the area, who rely on the popular path for footfall during the holiday season.

A full press release and site photographs are expected in due course.

Community

Landfill row escalates as campaigners urge NRW to reject Withyhedge permit expansion

Published

6 hours ago

June 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Fears over asbestos, pollution and criminal case against landfill owner spark calls for action

A PEMBROKESHIRE campaigner has submitted a formal objection to Natural Resources Wales (NRW) over a proposed expansion of the Withyhedge landfill site, warning that allowing more waste to be dumped would be “a danger to public health.”

Colin Barnett, a resident of Spittal and a leading member of the ‘Stop the Stink’ campaign, wrote to NRW’s permitting consultations team on Wednesday (June 19), urging them to reject a permit variation application submitted by Resources Management UK Ltd (RML).

The company is seeking to increase the volume of “waste soil” allowed at the controversial site in Rudbaxton, near Haverfordwest — a proposal that has provoked fierce backlash from local residents who say they have suffered over 18 months of ongoing odour and air pollution.

***Withyhedge PR site visit in April 2025 (Image: Supplied)***

Criminal proceedings pending

In his letter, Mr Barnett points to the criminal proceedings currently pending against RML’s owner, David Neal, who is due in court in September on alleged environmental offences.

He states: “It is highly inappropriate for NRW to consider any permit variation while serious legal proceedings are pending… Doing so risks further undermining public confidence in environmental regulation and due process.”

Mr Barnett says this is not the first time the company has faced prosecution for environmental breaches, calling into question their fitness to operate and expand such a facility.

‘18 months of pollution with no enforcement’

Local residents living near the landfill site have repeatedly complained about noxious gases and foul odours, with some families forced to stay indoors or keep windows shut. NRW has acknowledged receiving complaints and confirmed it is conducting an ongoing investigation.

But campaigners say little action has been taken.

“There has been no criminal enforcement action or meaningful consequences for the operator, despite the scale and duration of the pollution,” Mr Barnett claims. “Allowing increased waste volumes under these circumstances would significantly increase the risk of further environmental harm.”

He adds that the public has lost faith in NRW’s ability to regulate the site, and described the agency’s approach as a “silo system” which allows compliance issues to be assessed in isolation, rather than as part of a broader pattern of misconduct.

Questions over asbestos and contaminated soil

The site is one of only two landfill sites in Wales currently licensed to dispose of asbestos — a fact Mr Barnett says is under-communicated to the public. He warns that NRW’s failure to stop other pollution may mean it cannot be trusted to manage the risks associated with asbestos fibres or contaminated soil.

He also raises concern over the term “waste soil,” saying it is too vague and potentially misleading. “Waste soil can include material contaminated with heavy metals and chemicals,” he says. “It has not been properly explained to the public what is really being dumped at Withyhedge.”

Planning before permitting?

In a further twist, Mr Barnett questions why NRW is consulting on the permit variation before Pembrokeshire County Council has made a planning decision to allow the site’s height — and therefore its capacity — to be increased.

“Are there backroom agreements already in place?” he asks. “Or is it an expectation within NRW that Pembrokeshire County Council will pass anything that is needed to get the permit variation through?”

He accuses NRW of “prioritising a company with a criminal history above the wellbeing of the public” and suggests this could be seen as misconduct in public office.

Campaign gathers support

The ‘Stop the Stink’ campaign now has more than 2,500 members, and pressure is mounting on NRW to either reject the application outright or delay any decision until after the legal case against David Neal concludes.

In closing, Mr Barnett proposes a compromise — reducing the existing waste tonnage rather than increasing it — and calls for an independent audit of the site before any changes are approved.

The Herald has contacted Natural Resources Wales and Pembrokeshire County Council for comment.

Photo caption: Protest sign near Withyhedge Landfill Site, part of the growing public campaign (Pic: Herald)

Business

Celtic Holiday Parks in administration as buyer sought

Published

8 hours ago

June 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Family-run firm continues trading as usual during process

CELTIC HOLIDAY PARKS, one of Pembrokeshire’s best-known tourism businesses, has entered administration.

The award-winning company, which operates three luxury holiday parks in the south of the county, continues to trade as normal while administrators seek a buyer for the business and its assets.

Three parks still open

The firm runs Noble Court Holiday Park in Narberth, Meadow House Holiday Park in Amroth, and Croft Country Park near Reynalton. All three remain open, with staff retained and bookings unaffected.

Guests and owners are being assured that holidays will go ahead as planned, and caravan and lodge owners will continue to have access to their properties unless told otherwise.

High Court appointment

The administration was formalised on 27 May 2025 by the High Court’s Business and Property Court under case number 000020 of 2025.

Alistair Wardell and Richard J Lewis of Grant Thornton UK LLP were appointed as joint administrators. Their office is based at 3 Callaghan Square, Cardiff, and they can be contacted via Cardiff on 029 2023 5591 or Bristol on 0117 305 7600.

Significant investment in recent years

The family-run company was founded in 2003 and has been led since its inception by managing director Huw Pendleton. Over the years, more than £6 million has been invested across the group’s three sites.

The parks offer a range of holiday options including static caravans, glamping pods, and luxury lodges with hot tubs. Additional facilities include an indoor pool, gym, restaurant and landscaped grounds at Meadow House, as well as direct access to the Pembrokeshire Coast Path.

In 2020, Celtic Holiday Parks secured a six-figure loan from HSBC as part of the UK Government’s Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme (CBILS). The money was used to build 54 additional holiday homes.

Recognised for excellence

In 2022, Mr Pendleton received an award for his outstanding contribution to the UK tourism industry. The company has also received accolades such as ‘Best Caravan and Camping Park in Pembrokeshire’ and ‘Luxury Accommodation Provider of the Year – South Wales’.