THE DEVELOPER behind the Ger y Môr development in Saundersfoot has formally signed an agreement with Pembrokeshire County Council to deliver new public housing on the site.

Persimmon Homes West Wales and the local authority have exchanged contracts for twenty-one new properties at the Sandy Hill Road development, which will be transferred to the Council upon completion to help ease housing pressure in Pembrokeshire.

All twenty-one homes will be made available for social rent. In addition, a further four properties at Ger y Môr will be reserved for local people through a local lettings initiative, bringing the total number of homes allocated to those on the housing waiting list to twenty-five.

The agreement was marked on site by representatives from Persimmon Homes, alongside Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, Cllr Michelle Bateman, and Saundersfoot South county councillor, Cllr Chris Williams.

The Ger y Môr development will comprise seventy-two homes in total and will include a number of community and sustainability features. These include a new equipped children’s play area at the heart of the site and a dedicated active travel link connecting the development to Sandy Hill Road.

The scheme also incorporates a sustainable drainage system with bio-retention areas and rain gardens, alongside green technologies such as solar panels and electric vehicle charging points. Ecological measures have been built into the design to mitigate impacts on dormouse habitats and to preserve existing trees and hedgerows.

Persimmon Homes, an accredited five-star housebuilder, currently has three, four and five-bedroom homes available to purchase at Ger y Môr from £310,000, with two-bedroom properties due to be released shortly.

As part of its Community Champions scheme, Persimmon donates £48,000 each year to good causes across Wales. Recent local beneficiaries include Saundersfoot Cricket Club, Saundersfoot Rotary Club and the village’s New Year’s Day Swim.

Stuart Phillips, Managing Director of Persimmon Homes West Wales, said:
“Persimmon is determined to leave a positive community legacy wherever we build, and a key part of that commitment is the transfer of high-quality new homes to local housing partners.

“We are delighted to have exchanged contracts on this initial tranche of houses at Ger y Môr, and we hope this significant contribution will help alleviate pressure on the local housing list.

“We are pleased to be working in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council as we progress this site and deliver much-needed homes for local people.”

Cllr Michelle Bateman, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet Member for Housing, said:
“We’re delighted to be entering into partnership with Persimmon and to be taking on twenty-one new homes at Ger y Môr, helping us deliver secure, affordable homes for local people in Pembrokeshire.

“The purchase of these properties for social rent forms part of a wider range of affordable housing options we are providing to support families and individuals with different housing needs.

“This agreement reflects the Council’s ongoing commitment to increasing the supply of affordable homes and strengthening our local communities.”

Cllr Chris Williams, County Councillor for Saundersfoot South, added:
“Throughout this development I have been grateful to the Persimmon team, who have worked constructively with the community and listened to local concerns.

“Persimmon is a local developer, and it is hugely positive to see them supporting local people through the local lettings initiative in partnership with Pembrokeshire County Council.

“As a result of this agreement, twenty-five properties will be made available to those on the housing waiting list. This is an excellent outcome and a very positive step forward for residents hoping to remain in their own community.”

A CALL for a 1.5km hydrogen gas pipeline in Pembrokeshire in connection with a previously granted scheme for green energy production has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Zurich-based MorGen Energy Ltd, previously known as H2 Energy Europe, sought permission for a 1.5km six-inch 10-bar low-pressure hydrogen pipeline and associated Above Ground Installation at the Impala Terminal, Milford Haven to the South Hook Liquid Natural Gas (LNG) Terminal.

A supporting statement through agent Fisher German said the scheme crossed both Pembrokeshire County Council and the national park authorities, with a similar application before that authority.

It added: “The proposals form part of the West Wales Hydrogen project, where planning permission was granted on October 6, 2023, for the development of a new 20MW hydrogen production facility at the Impala Terminal (formerly Puma Energy) in Milford Haven.

“The approved hydrogen production facility which uses electrolysis to split water into hydrogen and oxygen, where the oxygen is a by-product of the process.  The hydrogen production plant will produce 1,875 tons of hydrogen per year. Hydrogen will be distributed via high pressure vessels (40 ft. containers) to various customers in the closer vicinity, opening the hydrogen market to a large variety of customers.

“Hydrogen will also be distributed to the South Hook LNG Terminal and it is proposed that this will be via a new six-inch 10-bar hydrogen pipeline. The option to supply hydrogen to the South Hook LNG terminal via high pressure hydrogen containers was dismissed due to safety considerations at the terminal.

“This application therefore seeks planning permission for a section of below ground hydrogen pipeline within the jurisdiction of Pembrokeshire County Council, which comprises the north part of the route from the hydrogen plant at Impala to the South Hook LNG Terminal, alongside an AGI at the Impala Terminal.”

An officer report recommending approval said: “The proposal is to construct a below ground hydrogen pipeline and an Above Ground Installation (AGI).  The southern part of the proposed pipeline is within the jurisdiction of the Pembroke Coast National Park Authority – a separate planning application has been made to PCNPA.

“The hydrogen pipeline would supply South Hook LNG terminal with low carbon hydrogen from a new hydrogen production facility at the Impala Terminal that benefits from planning permission.

“The application states that ‘the South Hook LNG Terminal will use the hydrogen to partially decarbonize their site, namely their Submerged Combustion Vaporisers (SCVs) by blending hydrogen into the natural gas stream’.”

The application was conditionally approved.

A CALL to allow 1970s-approved holiday lets near a Pembrokeshire reservoir beauty spot to become permanent homes, as no condition preventing that change was imposed, has now been approved.

In a certificate of lawfulness application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mark Rees, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought permission for a change of use of two short-term holiday lets, Lake and Swallows, at Ivy Court Holiday Cottages, Llys Y Fran, to permanent/sole residence dwellings.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness is normally used to allow an applicant to keep a development if they can provide proof of use over a prolonged period.

A supporting statement said: “The application properties consist of a pair of semi-detached units, used as holiday accommodation. There are no planning conditions limiting occupation and therefore it is contended that the use of the dwellings as permanent units of accommodation would be lawful.”

It said two planning permissions dating back to the late 1970s relate to the site; conversion of existing outbuildings to pottery and showroom, guest wing and four cottages, and holiday cottages and pottery showroom.

It added: “Both planning permissions included other elements of work throughout the site, some of which does not appear to have been implemented, including the conversion and alteration of the adjoining single storey element and the conversion of Lake and Swallows, largely as they currently exist.

“Importantly, neither of the planning permissions discussed above include conditions limiting the occupation of the dwellings to holiday unist and no other planning permissions relating to the properties have come to light.”

It concluded: “Based on the evidence available, it appears that the accommodation has lawfully used for short term holiday use, use class C6, and that there is no limitation as to how the properties can be used. As such it would appear that changing from Use Class C6 to Use Class C3 would also be lawful.”

An officer report recommending approval said: “Planning permission was granted in 1978 for the conversion of outbuildings within the site complex for use as holiday cottages. The outbuildings subject of this application have been converted and are in use as holiday lets which is evidenced by the supporting planning statement and through a search of the business website.”

It added: “The building subject of this application was granted planning permission for use a holiday accommodation and no conditions were imposed to restrict the use. As such, planning permission for use of the two cottages as full-time residential use would not require a further planning application.”

A certificate of lawfulness for the change of use was issued by planners.