News
Motorworld building to be demolished
PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL have made the decision that the ‘Motorworld building’ at 70A-80A Charles Street, Milford Haven, should be demolished and passed onto a developer to be turned into housing.
At Monday’s (Apr 24) cabinet meeting at County Hall, members of the Cabinet said that the premises was not attracting any commercial interest, and that all the units in the dilapidated premises were empty.
Cllr Keith Lewis said to Cabinet:
“This is a site which was held in lease by a company by Libra. We agreed as Cabinet that we should take the building back into our control at some cost.
“This site is an eyesore in Charles street. We have failed to find anyone who is interested in these premises commercially. There was some interest shown by town council, and the police, but that has come to nothing.”
Cllr Lewis added: “I would like to see this morning that we authorise the director of development to move forward.
“We should demolish the building. We should pass this on to a developer as 100% residential development. We are paying money out. We cannot allow this waste to continue.
“We can finance this via the Town Centre Loan Fund”
Leader Jamie Adams added: “We have explored commercial opportunities for this site. It has long been an eye sore. It will provide some valuable accommodation. It will improve the street scene and put people in the heart of the town where all goods and services can be supported as well. It is a pragmatic solution at this juncture, rather than hanging onto this site any longer. It is time for action.”
The Cabinet passed the recommendation that the building be demolished and passed over to a housing association for redevelopment into new residential properties.
The decision has come as a shock to some business people in Milford Haven. The Mayor, Cllr Stephen Joseph told The Herald that he was not convinced that there had been enough effort to find commercial occupants for the property.
Speaking after the Milford Haven Town Council meeting on Monday night, Cllr Joseph said: “I have been keeping my eye on this property for a number of years. The last thing that I heard was that the police were going to take it over as a police station. I don’t know what happened to that proposal. I did not attend the Cabinet meeting, but I was surprised that the decision has been made so easily to turn this into a residential premises.”
“I think that the Council just want to sign it over for a £1 and then there will minimal costs to them.”
“The Council already have been offered £1.5m funding from the Welsh Government to re-develop the property commercially, but now we can expect that this money will be transferred to other projects.”
He added: “You can bet that if this property was in Haverfordwest, then more would have been done about it sooner. My view is that the Council have delayed getting things done because they were not sure what to do with the place. They should have got the property back sooner, before things got this bad.”
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Business
Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure
PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.
The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.
The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.
A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”
Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.
Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.
From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.
Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.
(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
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