PLANS to allow an award-winning outdoor sauna to remain permanently at Saundersfoot Harbour have been recommended for refusal by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planners.

Hwyl Outdoor Sauna, run by Kerry Evans, was granted temporary two-year permission in June 2024 for a mobile wood-fired sauna at the harbour.

The business has since become a popular feature with residents, visitors and cold-water swimmers, and was named Sauna of the Year 2026/27 at the Wales Prestige Awards earlier this year.

Ms Evans has now applied to make the siting permanent, but officers are recommending refusal when the application goes before the National Park Authority’s development management committee on Tuesday, July 15.

A supporting statement submitted with the application said the sauna had “become a popular and valued amenity for both residents and visitors, offering a space focused on health, wellbeing and community connection”.

It added: “The overall sentiment within the village has been strongly supportive, with many residents recognising the sauna as a valuable asset that enhances the amenities in Saundersfoot.

“Hwyl Outdoor Sauna has received positive attention in regional and national press, helping to promote Saundersfoot as a destination for coastal wellbeing and outdoor experiences.

“Media coverage has highlighted the sauna as an example of the increasing popularity of sea swimming and sauna culture around the UK coastline.”

Saundersfoot Community Council has raised no objection to the application, and most of the 19 letters submitted by members of the public support the proposal.

Supporters have described the sauna as “a major asset to the village,” “a wellness landmark for Saundersfoot,” and “a unique offering that attracts visitors to the beach and harbour”.

However, some objectors have said that while they support permanent consent in principle, they do not believe the sauna should remain in its current position because it “obstructs the view of the beach from the promenade”.

In their report to committee members, National Park officers say the proposal, in its current form and location, would harm the setting of the Saundersfoot Conservation Area.

The report states: “The application, in its current form and with the proposed location of the sauna, is considered to result in a landscape impact that harms the setting of the Saundersfoot Conservation Area.

“The sauna is also located in a position which reduces public access along the existing promenade route, which is considered to prevent appropriate access from being achieved.

“In addition, since the temporary permission was granted, planning advice has been updated and there is now a requirement for a Flood Consequences Assessment in this location. The lack of a suitable Flood Consequences Assessment results in insufficient information to support the current application.”

Officers also note that the latest application includes additional development, including a booking office which has already been installed, meaning the overall scale of the proposal is greater than the scheme approved on a temporary basis in 2024.

The report adds: “Following consideration of the implementation of the temporary permission and given the greater extent of the current proposal, it is considered that the visual impact of the sauna and related booking office has now increased and could be reduced by locating the sauna further back in the car park.

“This would also have the benefit of the sauna not requiring relocation during severe weather and increased flood risk.”

The application is recommended for refusal on the grounds of visual impact, impact on the conservation area, reduced public access along the promenade, and the absence of a suitable Flood Consequences Assessment.

Committee members will make the final decision at the July 15 meeting.

A NEW weekly clinical support service has been launched at Withybush Hospital to improve access to specialist palliative care advice for patients, families and carers across Pembrokeshire.

The service, run by the Paul Sartori Foundation, began in mid-June and is available every Friday from 8.30am to 4.30pm.

It is based in the Hywel Dda University Health Board Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service hub, located just to the left of the main hospital entrance.

The drop-in service means people can speak directly with a member of the Paul Sartori clinical team without needing an appointment.

Support is available for families navigating palliative care, as well as those looking for practical advice, help sourcing equipment for use at home, or guidance for relatives and carers.

Visitors will be able to speak with Pat Coombs, Clinical Coordinator and Equipment Team Manager, who has extensive experience supporting people with life-limiting illnesses and those close to them.

Information resources will also be available for anyone who wishes to take materials away to share with family members.

The initiative forms part of the Paul Sartori Foundation’s wider commitment to delivering compassionate, community-based end-of-life care.

The charity’s clinical team works closely with healthcare partners to provide holistic support, including home-based care, specialist equipment provision and guidance tailored to the needs of patients and carers.

The Paul Sartori Foundation has thanked the team at Withybush Hospital for helping to facilitate the new advice service, which aims to ensure more people can access care and information in a welcoming and accessible setting.

A spokesperson said the new weekly presence reflects the Foundation’s ongoing mission to enhance quality of life, dignity and support for people living with life-limiting conditions across Pembrokeshire.

Anyone unable to visit the Paul Sartori team at Withybush Hospital can contact the Foundation directly on 01437 763223. A member of the team can help arrange an assessment and source the support required.

Paul Sartori Hospice at Home Service supports people with a wide range of life-limiting conditions and is keen to dispel the belief that it is solely a cancer charity. Around 32% of those supported have a non-cancer diagnosis.

The charity operates an open referral system, with referrals accepted from patients, family members and friends, as well as healthcare professionals.

The service was established in memory of Father Paul Sartori, a much-loved local priest who recognised the need for hospice care in Pembrokeshire before his death from cancer at the age of 39.

The Foundation was registered as a charity in 1982 and will celebrate its 45th anniversary during 2027/28.

Picture:

Pat Coombs, Clinical Coordinator and Equipment Team Manager, at the Hywel Dda University Health Board Macmillan Cancer Information and Support Service hub at Withybush Hospital, where information and advice is available for patients and their families.

Pupils at Ysgol Glannau Gwaun have been celebrating after their school became one of only nine in Wales to achieve Gold Active Travel status

The Fishguard school recently travelled to the Senedd in Cardiff to receive its prestigious Walk, Wheel, Cycle Gold Active Travel Award, recognising the work pupils and staff have done to promote walking, cycling and scooting.

It was the second time pupils from Ysgol Glannau Gwaun had travelled to the capital to present their active travel projects to a range of audiences.

The school now has a fleet of 60 scooters and 40 bicycles, allowing children from Nursery through to Year 6 to build their confidence and skills.

Through a range of grants and funding opportunities, weekly cycling and scooter sessions are now offered to all pupils, regardless of age or ability.

In 2023, only 11 of 41 pupils were able to complete their Level 1 and 2 cycle training, as many did not have access to a bicycle.

Since then, the school has worked hard to change that. Thanks to investment in school bikes, every pupil can now take part in cycle training.

Older pupils have also taken on leadership roles, supporting younger children with balance bike and scooter sessions.

Progression Step 3 pupils have designed a 1.5km community scooter trail, beginning at Fishguard Library and finishing in Goodwick. The route has been created not only for pupils, but for the wider community.

To further encourage active travel, the school also loans scooters to families, helping to ensure everyone has the opportunity to take part.

Staff help run a walking bus to after-school music activities at the secondary school, while the School Senedd regularly develops new ideas to promote active travel.

One recent initiative was a six-hour scootathon, which raised £1,000 for the RNLI.

To mark the Gold award, the school held a special celebration day for all pupils. Fusion Extreme delivered BMX workshops, while British BMX champion Matti Hemmings impressed pupils with a spectacular display of skills.

Pupils also presented their journey to achieving Gold status to parents, governors and community partners, including Transition Bro Gwaun, which helped fund the school’s bicycle fleet.

Headteacher Mrs Mari Jones said: “I am incredibly proud of our pupils, whose enthusiasm, leadership and commitment have driven many of the initiatives that contributed to this award.”

Deputy Headteacher Mrs Sharon Osborne added: “We are extremely grateful to the Pembrokeshire Road Safety Team, Alice from the Walk, Wheel, Cycle Trust, Transition Bro Gwaun and the Catrin Vaughan Foundation for their support.

“Their funding and resources have enabled our pupils to develop exceptional cycling and scooting skills, alongside valuable leadership and communication skills.

“This has culminated in pupils confidently presenting their achievements to a wide range of audiences.”

Pupils say their active travel journey does not end with the Gold award, with more ideas already being planned.

As they proudly put it, nothing stands still at Ysgol Glannau Gwaun.