LEGAL action against a landowner, who repeatedly failed to comply with an enforcement notice served back in 2023, has been backed by Pembrokeshire’s national park.

Members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s March development management committee meeting were asked to back delegated authority for prosecution proceedings in the magistrates’ court for failure to comply with steps required to be taken by an enforcement notice on land to the south of Parc Yr Eglwys, Brynhenllan, Dinas Cross.

A report for the committee said that, in May 2023, the park received a complaint that a green field in the open countryside had been stripped of its vegetation and turned into a mobile home park by the new landowners.

Following a site inspection, a planning contravention notice was served in relation to the removal of hedgebanks/hedgerows, widening of the existing access, alterations to ground levels, construction of a track and the siting of a storage container.

After that, a 2024 retrospective planning application was received by the park seeking retention of the hardstanding area, siting of storage container and additional landscape works, which was refused that May.

“As no voluntary steps were taken to remedy the breach of planning control and no appeal made against the refusal of planning permission, the Authority considered it expedient to issue and serve an Enforcement Notice as the development and use of the land resulted in an unnecessary incursion into the rural countryside which causes a significant visual intrusion to the detriment of the special qualities of the National Park,” the report said.

An enforcement notice was service in January 2025, but, the following month, the landowner lodged an appeal with Planning & Environment Decisions Wales, which was dismissed that June; the enforcement notice taking effect.

A further application, seeking permission for a small-scale seasonal campsite on the land was received in June 2025, subsequently refused that October; officers confirming to the landowner the enforcement notice remained in effect, running through to January 3 of this year.

A site inspection undertaken by officers on January 6 confirmed the breach of planning control continued, the report added.

This was followed by a further planning application seeking to regularise the development on January 21.

That application was refused on March 9.

The report concluded: “The landowner has had multiple opportunities to regularise the development through both retrospective applications and an appeal against the enforcement notice. Those processes have not resulted in permission being granted nor compliance being achieved.

“The continued failure to comply with the enforcement notice undermines the integrity of the planning system and public confidence in its proper operation.

“It also results in an unnecessary incursion into the rural countryside which causes a significant visual intrusion to the detriment of the special qualities of the National Park.

“Officers therefore consider it expedient and in the public interest to pursue prosecution proceedings should the breach remain unresolved.”

Members backed the recommendation.

PLANS for a B&Q ‘click and collect’ pod at a Pembrokeshire supermarket, to save customers having a make a round trip of nearly 60 miles to the nearest home improvement store, have been approved.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, B&Q Ltd, through agent Pyrke Planning, sought permission to install a modular ‘Click and Collect’ pod, with associated livery and signage, on the access road to Haverfordwest’s Portfield Road Tesco Extra superstore.

The application included a related scheme for signage for the proposal.

A supporting statement said: “This planning application seeks permission for the installation of a Click and Collect pod to be operated by B&Q Limited within the car park of the Tesco Extra store at Portfield Road, Haverfordwest.

“It does not involve any construction but simply the placing of a modular unit within the car park which, together with dedicated collection spaces, will take up 12 parking spaces and be situated within the customer car park.

“B&Q Limited (B&Q) is the UK’s largest home improvement retailer, serving both the general public and tradespeople. It supplies a wide range of DIY, home improvement and garden products, primarily from its stores across the UK but also through its online website.

“The trial of a new fulfilment service – B&Q Collect – in partnership with Tesco, is another step forward in their evolution. It gives customers greater choice over how they collect and return their items and helps make it easier to do their home improvement projects.

“B&Q does not have a store in Haverfordwest, with the nearest outlets being situated in Carmarthen (28 miles), Llanelli (37 miles) and Swansea (46 miles).

“It is consequently proposed to introduce a click and collect option for DIY customers and local tradespeople to allow next day collection of products which it is inconvenient for people to have delivered at home and to remove the need for a minimum c.50-mile plus round trip to one of the established stores.”

No objections to the proposal were raised by Haverfordwest Town Council.

The application, and the related signage scheme, were conditionally approved by county planners.

A MAJOR new hydrogen production facility worth around £50 million is expected to begin construction in Milford Haven later this year, marking another step in Pembrokeshire’s transition towards low-carbon energy.

The West Wales Hydrogen project, planned for land at the Impala Terminal within the port of Milford Haven, will transform part of a former oil refinery site into one of the UK’s early commercial-scale hydrogen production facilities.

Developers say the plant could create around 60 jobs during construction and support about ten permanent roles once operational, with commissioning currently targeted for early 2028.

The project is being led by MorGen Energy, a Zurich-based company founded in 2021 to develop large-scale green hydrogen projects across Europe.

Built at former refinery site

The facility will be located at the Impala Terminal site, formerly operated by Puma Energy, which historically handled refined oil products.

Milford Haven has long been known as the UK’s largest energy port, home to major LNG import terminals and oil infrastructure. Supporters of the hydrogen scheme say the new plant will help the port shift gradually towards cleaner energy technologies while making use of existing industrial infrastructure.

The project also sits within the Celtic Freeport zone, an area covering Milford Haven and Port Talbot that aims to attract investment into low-carbon industries, advanced manufacturing and renewable energy.

MorGen says the plant will benefit from the port’s existing storage facilities, energy connections and shipping infrastructure.

How the hydrogen will be produced

The proposed plant will produce hydrogen using electrolysis, a process which splits water into hydrogen and oxygen using electricity.

When powered by renewable energy, this method produces low-carbon or “green” hydrogen, which can be used as an alternative fuel in heavy industry.

Once fully operational, the facility is expected to produce around 2,000 tonnes of hydrogen per year. Developers estimate this could cut more than 15,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions annually, compared with conventional fossil fuel-based hydrogen production.

Electricity used to power the plant is expected to come largely from renewable energy sources, particularly wind farms.

Hydrogen produced at the facility could be used for several industrial purposes, including:

• industrial heating
• manufacturing processes
• heavy transport
• decarbonising port operations

Government backing

The project has received backing through the UK Government’s Hydrogen Allocation Round (HAR), a funding programme designed to support the development of low-carbon hydrogen production across the country.

The scheme aims to help the UK develop a domestic hydrogen industry capable of reducing emissions from sectors that are difficult to electrify.

Welsh Secretary Jo Stevens said the project showed Wales was playing a leading role in the shift to cleaner energy.

She said the investment would help create jobs while supporting economic growth.

UK Energy Minister Michael Shanks said hydrogen would play a crucial role in cutting industrial emissions and strengthening energy security.

Industrial uses for hydrogen

Energy experts say hydrogen is particularly important for sectors that require extremely high temperatures, such as steel, glass, ceramics and heavy manufacturing, where electrification alone may not be practical.

Professor Sara Walker, an energy specialist at the University of Birmingham, said hydrogen could allow these industries to reduce their reliance on fossil fuels.

She explained that many industrial processes already use hydrogen, but most of it is currently produced from natural gas. Producing hydrogen using renewable electricity instead could significantly reduce carbon emissions.

A growing energy hub

Milford Haven has increasingly been identified as a key location for the UK’s emerging hydrogen economy.

The port already handles large volumes of energy imports, including LNG, and its industrial landscape has attracted several proposals linked to hydrogen, floating offshore wind and carbon capture.

Supporters argue the new hydrogen plant could help position Pembrokeshire at the centre of Britain’s clean energy transition, while maintaining the area’s historic role as a major energy hub.

MorGen Energy chief executive Werner Lieberherr described the project as a major milestone for both the company and the UK hydrogen sector.

He said it demonstrated that green hydrogen projects in the UK were becoming viable long-term infrastructure investments.

If delivered on schedule, construction could begin later this year, with the facility expected to start producing hydrogen by 2028.