News
Milford Dock lock gates opened

Alec Don and Stephen Crabb officially open the new lock gates
THE new Milford Dock lock gates were declared open at a ceremony this morning (Friday, June 26).
Many representatives from the Port Authority, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and Milford Haven Town Council were also in attendance.
The Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb, also attended and along with Alec Don, to officially open the new gates.
Milford Haven Port Authority Chief Executive, Alec Don said: “It’s a real pleasure to welcome you here for the opening of the lock gates. This project has involved many people, engineers, our own engineering department, our former engineering director Andrew Brown, Atkins who played a very important role in steering the completion.
“This is an important day for us as Milford Haven, these lock gates are a very substantial investment by the port to basically set up the Milford dock area to be the hub for marine leisure in the sheltered waterway in the heart of Pembrokeshire.
“The project was part funded through the Visit Wales coastal tourism project and we are hugely grateful for their support to help make this project possible.
“Overall we have spent in excess of £6-7million developing these lock gates and it really sets up the port for the next 100 years to be easy to access and a great location to come to and spend time in your boats.
“The Marina is the only 4-gold anchor accredited marina in Wales, we are hoping for five gold anchors and that will be a part of the masterplan project that we are pursuing and so the lock gates really represents, only the first part of what will be a continuous investment into Milford Dock.
“Whether you are talking about fishing, yachting, whether you are simply talking about people coming to Milford Dock as a great place to work, eat, relax and shop, that is the vision for the future that we have for Milford Dock.”
The Secretary of State for Wales, Stephen Crabb added: “An awful lot of people have been working incredibly hard over a number of years to make this big, really significant infrastructure project happen for Milford Haven.
“It is of significance, not only for the port and for the town but for the whole of Pembrokeshire when you think that Pembrokeshire is a leading tourist destination for the whole of Wales. Anything that adds to the quality of the offer that Pembrokeshire makes is the quality of infrastructure here, particularly for tourists and leisure users in the Haven, then that has to be a really good thing.
“It is a challenging project at times but we need that kind of investment in Pembrokeshire and this is the biggest investment in the port for more than 50 years.
“I really commend Alec and his team at the Port Authority for their strategic vision. The port is changing and new investment is needed to meet the challenges of the future. The master plan, that this investment represents part of, it has to be a good thing for the long term future of Pembrokeshire.”
The Mayor of Milford Haven, Cllr Stephen Joseph said: “It is a vote of confidence in some ways, that there is a future for Milford Haven and Pembrokeshire. It’s good for tourism, tourism has been there for many years and this can service industry as well as tourism, it’s absolutely super.”
Business
First wind turbine components arrive as LNG project moves ahead
THE FIRST ship carrying major components for Dragon LNG’s new onshore wind turbines docked at Pembroke Port yesterday afternoon, marking the start of physical deliveries for the multi-million-pound renewable energy project.
The Maltese-registered general cargo vessel Peak Bergen berthed at Pembroke Dock shortly after 4pm on Wednesday, bringing tower sections and other heavy components for the three Enercon turbines that will eventually stand on land adjacent to the existing gas terminal at Waterston.
A second vessel, the Irish-flagged Wilson Flex IV, is due to arrive in the early hours of this morning (Thursday) carrying the giant rotor blades.
The deliveries follow a successful trial convoy on 25 November, when police-escorted low-loader trailers carried dummy loads along the planned route from the port through Pembroke, past Waterloo roundabout and up the A477 to the Dragon LNG site.
Dragon LNG’s Community and Social Performance Officer, Lynette Round, confirmed the latest movements in emails to the Herald.
“The Peak Bergen arrived yesterday with the first components,” she said. “We are expecting another delivery tomorrow (Thursday) onboard the Wilson Flex IV. This will be blades and is currently showing an ETA of approximately 03:30.”
The £14.3 million project, approved by Welsh Ministers last year, will see three turbines with a combined capacity of up to 13.5 MW erected on company-owned land next to the LNG terminal. Once operational – expected in late 2026 – they will generate enough electricity to power the entire site, significantly reducing its carbon footprint.
Port of Milford Haven shipping movements showed the Peak Bergen approaching the Haven throughout Wednesday morning before finally tying up at the cargo berth in Pembroke Dock. Cranes began unloading operations yesterday evening.
Weather conditions are currently favourable for this morning’s arrival of the Wilson Flex IV, which was tracking south of the Smalls at midnight.
The abnormal-load convoys carrying the components from the port to Waterston are expected to begin next week, subject to final police and highway approvals.
A community benefit fund linked to the project will provide training opportunities and energy-bill support for residents in nearby Waterston, Llanstadwell and Neyland.
Further updates will be issued by Dragon LNG as the Port of Milford Haven as the delivery programme continues.
Photo: Martin Cavaney
Crime
Banned for 40 months after driving with cocaine breakdown product in blood
A MILFORD HAVEN woman has been handed a lengthy driving ban after admitting driving with a controlled drug in her system more than ten times over the legal limit.
SENTENCED AT HAVERFORDWEST
Sally Allen, 43, of Wentworth Close, Hubberston, appeared before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Thursday (Dec 4) for sentencing, having pleaded guilty on November 25 to driving with a proportion of a specified controlled drug above the prescribed limit.
The court heard that Allen was stopped on August 25 on the Old Hakin Road at Tiers Cross while driving an Audi A3. Blood analysis showed 509µg/l of Benzoylecgonine, a breakdown product of cocaine. The legal limit is 50µg/l.
COMMUNITY ORDER AND REHABILITATION
Magistrates imposed a 40-month driving ban, backdated to her interim disqualification which began on November 25.
Allen was also handed a 12-month community order, requiring her to complete 10 days of rehabilitation activities as directed by the Probation Service.
She was fined £120, ordered to pay £85 prosecution costs and a £114 surcharge. Her financial penalties will be paid in £25 monthly instalments from January 1, 2026.
The bench—Mrs H Roberts, Mr M Shankland and Mrs J Morris—said her guilty plea had been taken into account when passing sentence.
Local Government
Sewage leak at Pembroke Commons prompts urgent clean-up works
Council pollution officers say they have no enforcement powers over Welsh Water infrastructure
SEWAGE contamination on the Commons in Pembroke has prompted an urgent response from pollution officers, after a leak was reported by a member of the public on Tuesday.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s Pollution Control Team confirmed they were alerted yesterday afternoon to sewage surrounding a manhole cover on the site. The Herald understands that officers immediately notified Welsh Water (DCWW) network technicians to investigate the incident “as a matter of urgency”.
County councillor Jonathan Grimes, who represents Pembroke St Mary South and Monkton, said the authority had been clear that it holds no enforcement powers over Welsh Water assets.
“Whilst we work constructively with Welsh Water, we have no authority to intervene on their apparatus or to carry out enforcement action against them for such pollution incidents,” the Pollution Control Team said in a statement shared with the councillor.
Urgent works underway
Council officers visited the site on Wednesday morning alongside contractors and Welsh Water technicians to assess clean-up options. According to the team, works will include cleaning the contaminated ground in and around the manhole cover and fencing off the affected area “until safe”.
Cllr Grimes said officers would return to the scene on Thursday to check on progress and ensure the area is properly secured.
Residents who notice any further issues have been urged to contact the Pollution Control Team directly.
Further updates are expected later this week.
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