Community
Councillor shares update on ongoing flooding issues at The Commons, Pembroke
REPEATED flooding on The Commons in Pembroke has prompted renewed concern among residents, with local councillor Jonathan Grimes, County Councillor for Pembroke St Mary South & Monkton, seeking clarity from Pembrokeshire County Council (PCC). He has now shared an update following a response from the council’s Coastal, Rivers and Drainage Team.
Cllr Grimes said he had raised the issue after further problems in the area, and the council confirmed that teams are currently stretched due to widespread flooding across the county.
A spokesperson for the team stated: “PCC Highways Maintenance teams are attending a high number of locations across the county, to ensure that trash screens, culverts and highway drainage (plus others) are not blocked and free flowing. The Commons will be on their list to attend and inspect. I appreciate residents are concerned but their situation is not unique at this time, and there is widespread flooding across the county.”
The council confirmed that the barrage tipping gate remains out of action and will not be working until mid-January due to unforeseen issues with its ram. Despite this, a sluice within the barrage is currently open and helping to reduce Castle Pond water levels, although only when the water level in the pond is higher than in the estuary.
The update continued:
“The barrage tipping gate is not operational, and will not be operational until mid-January due to unforeseen issues with the ram. However there is a sluice within the barrage which is open, and is able to assist with lowering the levels of the Castle Pond, when the head of water is greater in the pond, rather than the estuary. Once the tide is high, the flap valve at the outfall of the sluice is unable to open and this prevents tidal water entering the Castle Pond, which is a positive feature.”
Council officers added that current conditions are being made worse by a combination of high tides and ongoing yellow weather warnings for rain and wind, which have contributed to tidal surges.
They also addressed comments from residents questioning why maintenance work had not been completed during the summer.
“There have also been comments that the maintenance work at the barrage (and associated infrastructure) should have been completed in the summer, but we were advised that the school summer holiday season was not an appropriate time to do the work. Castle Pond would have become stagnant, no one would be able to use the pond recreationally, the coastal path would need to be closed in peak season, and this would have negatively impacted on the biodiversity. We were not able to foresee the extremely poor weather we have experienced lately but overall, last winter was mild. December 2024 was the 5th warmest on record, and only Storm Darragh (red weather warning for wind) was noted (Storm Bert didn’t really affect Pembrokeshire when compared to other Local Authorities in Wales).”
The barrage tipping gate is expected to be operational again by mid-January. The coastal path will then be closed for three weeks from 12 January 2026 to allow works to be completed, with new signage to be installed shortly.
Cllr Grimes added that he would continue to keep residents informed as further updates become available.
(Pic: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Tenby sailing club works approved by national park
PLANS for works at Tenby’s historic sailing club building, part of the ‘iconic view’ of the town’s harbour have been given the go-ahead by the national park.
In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Tenby Sailing Club, through agent David J P Morgan RIBA Architect sought permission for the two openings in second floor gable wall along with two new windows at Tenby Sailing Club, Penniless Cove Hill, along with a related listed building consent.
The application was supported by Tenby Town Council and Tenby Civic Society, the latter saying it will “add value to the use of the building and maintain the character and value of the listed building and the conservation area”.
Supporting documents for the application said: “The proposal is to form two new openings in the stonework and install two windows. These will replicate the existing windows at first floor level below. The openings will have red brick head as on existing original openings on the building. The proposal will have very little adverse impact on the listed building.”
They added: “The proposed new windows will improve observation of the harbour and bay from the second-floor level. This is where yacht racing is monitored and observed by officials and safety personnel.”
An officer report, recommending approval said: “The sailing club was built as a warehouse c. 1825, abutting the C17 sluice. Originally wine stores, it was later used by the local fishermen for stores and is now the home to Tenby Sailing Club, established in 1936. The rubble-built building is of three storeys and four bays, the glazing all later C20 with a slated roof and a modernised interior. There is a large steel stair to north (seaward) elevation.”
It added: “The building forms part of a group picturesquely clustered around the sluice, in turn forming part of the iconic view of Tenby Harbour. The proposal is to insert two windows at second floor level to the north (seaward) elevation, flanking the existing door,” adding: “The area retains its mercantile character not just in appearance, but also through its character due to ongoing use as fishing boat stores and winter moorings.
“The sailing club has occupied the building for many years and remains very active. The proposal is intended to improve the amenity of the building to provide better viewing at elevation and seeks to copy the detail and proportions of the windows at first floor stage.”
The application, and the related listed building consent, was conditionally approved by park planners.
Community
Pembrokeshire students speak at national Holocaust Memorial Day event
TWO Haverfordwest High School pupils addressed senior political and religious figures and a Holocaust survivor at Wales’ main commemoration in Cardiff
Holocaust Memorial Day was marked in Cardiff this week with a powerful contribution from two Pembrokeshire students, who were invited to speak at Wales’ national commemoration event.
Awel Jones and Olivia Beal, both Year 13 pupils at Haverfordwest High School, attended the ceremony at the Temple of Peace on Monday (Jan 27) in their roles as ambassadors for the Holocaust Educational Trust.
The pair were asked to deliver speeches reflecting on their work with the Trust and their involvement in the “Lessons from Auschwitz” project, which educates young people about the Holocaust and the dangers of prejudice, discrimination and hatred.
They spoke in front of a distinguished audience that included the First Minister for Wales, Eluned Morgan, the Archbishop of Wales, senior civic leaders and Holocaust survivor Peter Lantos.
The national event formed part of Holocaust Memorial Day 2026, which was held under the theme “bridging generations”, highlighting the responsibility of younger generations to carry forward the lessons of the past as the number of living survivors declines.
Awel Jones and Olivia Beal were the only young Holocaust Educational Trust ambassadors representing Wales at the national ceremony, a distinction described as a significant honour for both the students and Pembrokeshire.
A parent said the occasion was “profoundly emotive and important”, adding that being invited to speak at such a high-profile event was an accolade for the students and a reflection of the strength of Holocaust education work taking place locally.
Holocaust Memorial Day is observed annually on January 27, marking the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau in 1945.
Business
Final wind turbine deliveries completed after months of disruption
Last major component reaches site as Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy thank communities for patience
DRAGON LNG and Dragon Energy have confirmed that the final large component for a new wind turbine project has now been successfully delivered, bringing months of complex abnormal load movements on Pembrokeshire roads to an end.
The companies said the final turbine blade was delivered to the site on Wednesday (Jan 28, 2026), marking the completion of all major component deliveries associated with the project.
In a statement, Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy thanked the local community for its patience and cooperation throughout the delivery programme, acknowledging that the operation caused disruption on local roads.

Residents across parts of the county have previously experienced temporary road closures, traffic delays and police escorts as oversized turbine components were transported from the Port of Milford Haven to the site under tightly controlled conditions.
The abnormal load movements required months of detailed planning and coordination, involving route surveys, traffic management, police support and liaison with local authorities to ensure deliveries were carried out safely and with minimal disruption wherever possible.
The companies also apologised for the inconvenience caused during the delivery phase, saying the support and understanding shown by residents had been “invaluable” in allowing the project to reach this milestone.
A number of organisations were involved in supporting the operation, including Pembrokeshire County Council, Dyfed-Powys Police, haulage specialists Collett & Sons Ltd and Green Light Traffic Management.
Local media outlets, including The Pembrokeshire Herald, provided advance notice and updates during the delivery process to help keep residents informed.
With the final major deliveries now complete, Dragon LNG and Dragon Energy said the project would continue to progress to the next phase of construction on site.
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