Politics

Energy policy and the environment

Published

9 years ago

May 19, 2017

LAST WEEK The Herald looked at the energy market and the ways in which different parties have approached the question of rising domestic energy bills.

That article discussed the ways in which taking advantage of existing energy efficiency schemes and the use of the most competitive tariffs would reduce bills far more than a simple price cut on the most commonly used domestic tariff.

Labour has claimed it will create over 300,000 renewable energy jobs throughout the country and put modern low-carbon industries at the heart of a £500 billion investment strategy, championing ‘a new green industrial revolution’.

One of the big ideas underpinning that commitment is to promote the growth of local energy companies and support the development of 1,000 community energy co-operatives. That’s accompanied by a commitment to 65% renewable electricity by 2030, aiming for 85% as technology improves and diffuses.

All of which will sound very familiar to Plaid Cymru, whose Shadow Environment spokesperson, Simon Thomas AM, has called for the creation of Ynni Cymru to promote Wales’ own self-sufficiency in domestic energy. It sounds like Plaid’s clothes have been lifted by Jeremy Corbyn’s promises to invest in similar schemes and raise investment across the UK.

Labour has set out a radical commitment to set up publicly-owned energy supply companies in every region focused purely on cutting prices. Under the same proposals, Government would take ‘control of the natural monopolies of the transmission and distribution grids’ currently run by the National Grid.

The Labour leader has made big promises, and the cynical might think that Labour may as well shoot for The Moon, given the remote chances it has of forming an administration under Jeremy Corbyn as PM.

“We’ve got a real opportunity to drive the green economy – to have green jobs, green growth, and make sure that we have our share of the industries of the future. Clearly there’s the climate change agenda, where we’ve got to get back on track, both nationally and internationally. And third, there is the issue of energy security, which I think is vitally important, which we need to do a huge amount of work on.”

Those were big promises, too. They were made seven years ago by David Cameron at the outset of his first term as PM, when he pledged to lead the greenest government ever. By 2013, David Cameron was keen to ‘get rid of all the green crap’, as the hopes of 2010 smashed into the economic and political realities of Treasury austerity.

The rug was pulled from under the renewables industry: following through on the pledge to virtually ban onshore wind, and slashing the feed in tariff. Overall UK carbon emissions had been falling but the growth in renewables deployment stalled, and solar companies employing thousands of people around the country went bust.

Five years later, at the outset of his second term, David Cameron pulled the Green Deal for UK homes.

On every single one of those policy decisions, commitments, and staggering reversals Theresa May went along, bobbing along like a cork on the tide of Cabinet collective responsibility. The number of times she has spoken out on energy policy in public can be counted on the fingers of one thumb. However, she merged the Department of Energy and Climate Change into a new Department of Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy in July 2016.

While that suggests a rather less overtly ‘green’ approach to the PR side of politics than her predecessor, it is noteworthy that Theresa May has expressed consistent and strong positions on the issue of energy security. Her first noteworthy public policy decision was to initiate a pause on the development of Hinkley B, ostensibly due to concerns of increasing UK reliance on Chinese investment in its energy infrastructure.

In addition, in a complex and volatile international energy market, there are clear attractions for the PM in adopting measure which enhance energy security and the reduction on the reliance of overseas energy. Her concerns on energy supply were echoed in the 2015 Conservative manifesto, which said: ‘Without secure energy supplies, our country becomes less safe and less prosperous’.

And, in 2008, Mrs May said: “I am thrilled to see that after years of Conservative pressure, we have finally passed a necessary and ambitious piece of legislation on Climate Change. Britain is the first country in the world to formally bind itself to cut greenhouse emissions and I strongly believe this will improve our national and economic security.

“To stay reliant on fossil fuels would mean tying ourselves to increasingly unstable supplies which could endanger our energy security and the Climate Change and Energy Bills mark an important step for both the health of our economy and the health of our nation. It is now vital that we stick to these targets.”

The logic of Mrs May’s evident and consistently expressed concerns on security of energy supply is to make the UK more self-sufficient. There are two sides to that issues: firstly, the extension of green energy generation; secondly, the extension of fracking and nuclear power.

The second limb of that proposition is the most contentious. Fracking is a public relations disaster waiting to happen and the first time it is scheduled to take place in a Conservative-held marginal seat is when we will see just how committed the Conservative party is to its use. As for nuclear power, it requires considerable public support and subsidy to make it even marginally viable for the long term.

The only large energy project requiring anything like the level of price support as nuclear power is the Swansea Tidal Lagoon, which for all its carbon-saving claims involves quarrying stone in Cornwall, building new jetties extending into the Bristol Channel and transporting the stone over by barge to Swansea by the thousands of tonnes to build a tidal barrage affecting marine life and habitats across the whole of Swansea Bay.

For someone as sensitive to polls as Theresa May it is worth noting that the BEIS tracker surveys on consumer views shows significantly higher support for renewable energy (at around 75-80%) than for other options. Opposition to renewables was very low at 4%, with only 1% strongly opposed.

However, and this is where energy policies and political judgement come into play, support for renewables was lower amongst those in social grade DE (72%), aged 65+ (73%), and social renters (75%).

The first two of those groups are key electoral demographics whose support Theresa May is actively courting. The triangulation of Conservative policy on energy, which now appears to have abandoned the notion that competition delivers the best results for energy users, might not swing a lot of votes, but the Conservative leader will not be shy of using every gimmick in her arsenal to court wavering voters looking for a way to justify voting Conservative.

Business

Cosheston Garden Centre expansion approved by planners

Published

1 day ago

December 13, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS to upgrade a garden centre on the main road to Pembroke Dock have been given the go-ahead.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, submitted through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, Mr and Mrs Wainwright sought permission for upgrade of a garden centre with a relocated garden centre sales area, additional parking and the creation of ornamental pond and wildlife enhancement area (partly in retrospect) at Cosheston Garden Centre, Slade Cross, Cosheston.

The application was a resubmission of a previously refused scheme, with the retrospective aspects of the works starting in late 2023.

The site has a long planning history, and started life as a market garden and turkey farm in the 1980s, and then a number of applications for new development.

A supporting statement says the previously-refused application included setting aside a significant part of the proposed new building for general retail sales as a linked farm shop and local food store/deli in addition to a coffee bar.

It was refused on the grounds of “the proposal was deemed to be contrary to retail policies and the likely impact of that use on the vitality and viability of nearby centres,” the statement said, adding: “Secondly, in noting that vehicular access was off the A 477 (T) the Welsh Government raised an objection on the grounds that insufficient transport information had been submitted in respect of traffic generation and highway safety.”

It said the new scheme seeks to address those issues; the development largely the same with the proposed new garden centre building now only proposed to accommodate a relocated garden centre display sales area rather than a new retail sales area with other goods, but retaining a small ancillary coffee bar area.

“Additional information, in the form of an independent and comprehensive Transport Statement, has now been submitted to address the objection raised by the Welsh Government in respect of highway safety,” the statement said.

It conceded: “It is acknowledged that both the creation of the ornamental pond and ‘overspill’ parking area do not have the benefit of planning permission and therefore these aspects of the application are ‘in retrospect’ and seeks their retention.”

It finished: “Essentially, this proposal seeks to upgrade existing facilities and offer to the general public. It includes the ‘relocation’ of a previously existing retail display area which had been ‘lost’ to the ornamental pond/amenity area and to provide this use within the proposed new building and moves away from the previously proposed ‘farm shop’ idea which we thought had merit.

“This revised proposal therefore involves an ‘upgrading’ rather than an ‘expansion’ of the existing garden centre use.”

An officer report recommending approval said that, while the scheme would still be in the countryside rather than within a settlement boundary, the range of goods sold would be “typical of the type of goods sold in a garden centre and which could be sold elsewhere within the garden centre itself,” adding: “Unlike the recent planning application refused permission it is not intended to sell delicatessen goods, dried food, fruit and vegetables, pet products and gifts.”

It added that a transport statement provided had been reviewed by the Welsh Government, which did not object on highway grounds subject to conditions on any decision notice relating to visibility splays and parking facilities.

The application was conditionally approved.

Business

Tenby Poundland site could become retro gaming lounge

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

TENBY’S former Poundland and Royal Playhouse cinema could become a retro computer gaming lounge, plans submitted to the national park hope.

Following a takeover by investment firm Gordon Brothers, Poundland shut 57 stores earlier this year, including Tenby.

Prior to being a Poundland, the site was the Royal Playhouse, which had its final curtain in early 2011 after running for nearly a century.

The cinema had been doing poor business after the opening of a multiplex in Carmarthen; in late 2010 the opening night of the-then latest Harry Potter blockbuster only attracted an audience of 12 people.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Matthew Mileson of Newport-based MB Games Ltd, seeks permission for a ‘CONTINUE? Retro Gaming Lounge’ sign on the front of the former Gatehouse (Playhouse) Cinema, White Lion Street, most recently used as a Poundland store.

The signage plans form part of a wider scheme for a retro gaming facility at the former cinema site, which has a Grade-II-listed front facade, a supporting statement through agent Asbri Planning Ltd says.

“The subject site is located within the settlement of Tenby along White Lion St. The site was formerly the Gatehouse Cinema and currently operates as a Poundland discount store, which closed on October 18.”

It adds: “This application forms part of a wider scheme for the change of use to the former Gatehouse Cinema. Advertisement consent is sought for a non-illuminated aluminium composite folded panel that will be bolted onto the front façade of the proposed building, in replacement of the existing signage (Poundland).”

It stresses: “It is considered that the proposed advertisement will not have a detrimental impact on the quality of the environment, along with being within a proportionate scale of the building. It is considered that the proposed signage will reflect site function.

“Furthermore, due to the sympathetic scale and design of the sign itself, it is considered that the proposal will not result in any adverse visual amenity impacts.

“The proposal is reduced in sized compared to the existing Poundland advertisement. The sign will not be illuminated. Given the above it is considered that such proportionate signate in association with the proposed retro gaming lounge is acceptable and does not adversely affect visual amenity.”

An application for a retro gaming lounge by MB Games Ltd was recently given the go-ahead in Swansea.

Business

Llandeloy cottage crochet plans given the green light

Published

2 days ago

December 12, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to change the use of a Pembrokeshire farm holiday cottage to a crochet workshop has been given the go-ahead by Pembrokeshire planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Mr and Mrs Evans of Lochmeyler Farm, Llandeloy, through agent Harries Planning Design Management, sought permission for a change of use of a self-catered cottage to a crochet workshop.

A supporting statement says the application, one of a number of historic farm diversification schemes on site “seeks to continue to evolve with current market demands,” the cottage proposed for the change of use once a former outbuilding that was originally converted in 1992 into “a well-established holiday let”.

It added: “Made by Margo is a well-regarded local business founded by Margo Evans, a passionate lifelong crafter who began knitting at a young age. Her company specialises in creating handcrafted, contemporary crochet products using high-quality natural materials.

“Accordingly, Margo is a highly sought-after teacher known for her popular crochet classes. This proposal is motivated by a recognised need for a permanent space for the business, as to date the applicant has needed to use community halls or similar spaces to accommodate clients.

“Thus, the proposed change of use will secure a permanent space for these workshops and will future proof the business against the lack of availability of public spaces.

“Other alternatives have been considered with the cottage being the most viable option, particularly as demand has waned for holiday cottage post Covid-19. The holiday cottage, whilst once popular, is no longer in high demand, with visitors requiring more modern amenities and larger spaces which without significant investment, this holiday cottage is unable to provide.

“Consequently, the cottage’s change of use will diversify the farm’s revenue, while simultaneously providing a permanent base for a small rural business. While the primary customer base is local, the space may also help attract seasonal tourism and broaden the business’s appeal.”

It says the operation would be on a small scale, with a maximum of six people per class and a three day per-week schedule.

An officer report, recommending approval, said: “The provision of a workshop would have both social and environmental benefits for the applicant and local community through the provision of business and income generated from the operation.

“With regard to environmental impacts, positive environmental impacts would be achieved through the re-use of the building. Whilst the proposed location is in the open countryside, which is not a sustainable location, the proposed operation of the business is low scale. It is considered that the number of trips would be of low frequency when compared to the potential number of trips that are generated from tourism.”

The application was conditionally approved.