PLANS for a new ‘traveller site’ on the outskirts of a Pembrokeshire village, which was previously refused by the national park has again been turned down, but there may be a further application.

Last May, members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee refused a scheme for the creation of a traveller site of one static caravan, one touring caravan, day/utility room and ecological enhancements (partly retrospective) on land at Froghall Yard, Moreton Lane, Saundersfoot.

The authority has served an enforcement notice on the site, which requires its return to its previous condition.

Nearly 300 people had signed a petition against the scheme and the objection to the application by David ‘Dai’ Evans of Pontypool, through agents Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, was also shared by Saundersfoot’s community council.

A supporting statement accompanying the application stated the applicant belongs to a long-standing Romany Gypsy family, currently at an overcrowded Traveller site in Pontypool.

It said Mr Evans and family have stayed in a touring caravan at the Saundersfoot site during the summer months since the late 1980s; Mr Evans purchased the site in 2023, clearing and refurbishing it.

The application was refused on the grounds it was considered to result in unacceptable landscape impacts, a lack of information on whether the proposal will unacceptably disturb species and habitats, and it would introduce caravan development in an area of the National Park without landscape capacity.

A resubmitted application, aimed at addressing previous concerns, was recommended for refusal on similar grounds to previously at the January 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee.

Saundersfoot Community Council unanimously objected to the latest plans and 48 objections covering a wide range of concerns were received.

At the start of the January meeting, local member Cllr Chris Williams, said he had received a phone call saying the applicant was not actually a member of the gypsy traveller community; members later hearing legal advice the authority was not in a position to determine that.

Helen Williams, objecting on behalf of neighbours, said the current submission “differed little from the original application,” saying there had been “a significant removal of scrub and woodland” from the site and “a devastating impact,” with a loss of previously sighted wildlife.

A further speaker, Lynne Garnett of the Travelling Ahead Community Planning Project , which provides planning advice and support to Gypsy and Traveller families, said a lack of local authority site left members of the community “no alternative other than to buy their own land to develop such sites”.

She said prejudice faced was “enormous,” adding there was “hate campaign” in objections to this scheme that was “vitriolic, disrespectful and deeply concerning”.

Agent Andrew Vaughan-Harries disputed previously raised concerns about the amount of land cleared without permission, saying much of that had been done prior to his client purchasing the land, his work clearing up “a mess”.

He said that, in the event of a fresh planning application, the third time it would come before committee, substantial tree planting would be included.

While initial proposals for a site visit were again mooted, a recommendation of following the officer recommendation of refusal was proposed by Cllr Di Clements, with one voice of opposition, Cllr Maureen Bowen, who proposed approval.

The recommendation of refusal was backed by 13 members, with one against and two abstentions.

PLANS for a mini-golf tourist attraction on part of a Pembrokeshire seaside village heritage family venue have been approved, with relief expressed at the proposal after a previous ‘pirate’ rum bar scheme was refused.

In an application recommended for approval at the January 28 meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Lowri Silver sought permission for a change of use of the ground floor area of Saundersfoot Harbour’s Coastal Schooner to an indoor nine-hole mini golf tourist attraction.

The schooner – a prominent feature on the village’s National Events Deck – was built to showcase Saundersfoot’s maritime heritage and is part of the £10m Wales Coastal Centre project.

The building is a replica of a traditional coastal schooner vessel which operated from the harbour during the coal mining era to transport coal from Saundersfoot.

The interpretation centre closed in October 2024.

Last July, an application by Jonathan Thomas of ‘Schooner’ for a pirate-themed bar at the site was refused at the national park development management committee.

That rum bar scheme had raised concerns from the community council, saying it was “considered to be at odds with the current family venue and heritage elements”.

An officer report recommending refusal said that scheme was considered to fall outside the seaside village’s defined retail area and the impact on the amenity of the area and especially nearby residential dwellings.

At that meeting, Cllr Alec Cormack, one of the local county councillors, and member of the community council, called for a more family-friendly scheme for the site.

A supporting statement accompanying the new mini golf application says: “The maritime theme will be maintained as the attraction will maintain many of the existing interpretation information and the maritime theme.  The Schooner operated as an interpretation centre and high ropes offer for a year from October 2023 to October 2024.

“It has been open through the summer of 2025 on Tuesday and weekends. However, it has proved not to be a viable option to run the Schooner as an interpretation centre alone and an additional use is sought to maintain the interpretation element of the Schooner and to offer an all-weather attraction for local people and residents alike.”

The latest proposal was “strongly supported by Saundersfoot Community Council, particularly regarding the provision of an indoor family attraction; this was a unanimous decision,” a report for committee members recommending approval said.

It added: “The proposed works will apart from planters, be fully contained within the existing structure and provide an indoor facility for residents and visitors, which is considered to enhance the visitor economy of the area, not just through the tourist season but also outside of the peak season, with the facility being an indoor facility with scope for all year-round operation.”

At the January meeting, approval was moved by Dr Rosetta Plummer, who was seconded by Cllr Simon Hancock, Dr Plummer expressed her relief at the application before members compared with what was previously proposed.

Fellow committee member Dr Madeleine Havard said: “I’m really pleased the hard-won interpretation centre is being retained; Saundersfoot has really done a great job in promoting this site, to have a family friendly attraction indoors in Pembrokeshire that has got information about the heritage as well certainly means a great deal to people.”

The application was unanimously backed by committee members.

A PETITION call for a public commitment to save Pembrokeshire’s River Cleddau which has attracted more than 2,200 signatures, and is due to be heard by full council, ends in a few days.

The e-petition on Pembrokeshire County Council’s own website, started by James Harrison-Allen, says: “We call on Pembrokeshire County Council to create and enact a Clean Rivers Policy to restore the Cleddau to good health after decades of neglect and degradation.

“The Cleddau flows through the heart of Pembrokeshire, including our county town, and is the foundation for Pembrokeshire’s prosperity. The river is failing, and we need to act now to save it from irreversible decline.

“What’s the problem? The Cleddau rivers and estuary are the worst (and worsening) polluted SAC (Special Area of Conservation) designated rivers in Wales; worse even than the Wye and the Usk (NRW Water Assessment Report 2024), and considerably worse than the neighbouring Towy and Teifi.

“Damaging impacts on Pembrokeshire’s economy, public health and the natural environment. Ineffective regulation; monitoring, responding, policing, enforcement and prosecutions. What should PCC be doing to address this? Make a formal, public commitment to cleaning up the Cleddau. Make the health of the Cleddau central.”

Earlier this year, Henry Tufnell, MP for Mid and South Pembrokeshire, called for “urgent” action to tackle the poor state of the River Cleddau when he chaired a discussion bringing together key stakeholders, environmental experts, and community voices to address the issues surrounding water quality and pollution.

The panel event, organised by local river action group The Cleddau Project, covered topics including pollution sources, enforcement failures, and potential solutions to improve the river’s health.

The e-petition runs up to February 1, and had attracted 2,207 signatures by January 27.

If a petition gets 500 signatures, the creator will have an opportunity to debate it at a future full council meeting.