The proposed site: Withdrawn this week

THE COMPANY behind the plans to build a brand new multiplex cinema and retail park in Haverfordwest, Conygar Haverfordwest Ltd, have said they are ‘extremely disappointed’ to have withdrawn the proposal.

The complex would have been built on the site which Sainsburys formerly planned to build on near Slade Lane.

The plans included a five-screen cinema, ten shops and a hotel with 60 beds.

In a letter to the council, the company said “Further to a recent email correspondence, we have been instructed by our client, Conygar Haverfordwest Ltd, to withdraw the above-referenced planning applications, and should be obliged if you would take this letter as a formal request to do so, on their behalf.”

Today (May 5) A Conygar spokesperson expanded further on the reasoning, saying: “We are extremely disappointed to have had to make the difficult decision to withdraw our planning applications for the Slade Lane site in Haverfordwest. The site currently benefits from detailed planning permission for a 95,000 square foot superstore and hence we have already invested £4 million on facilitating the infrastructure.

“In the aftermath of Sainsbury’s decision to abandon their plans for Haverfordwest, the applications we submitted last year sought to alter the development to include a 124,000 square foot retail park, a cinema and a hotel. We already have tenants for this alternative scheme, which would not only deliver employment and opportunity at the site, but also attract visitors and spending to the town centre and wider community. These tenants have space requirements which the town centre cannot provide. We are also confident that this initial injection of economic activity would act as a catalyst to bring forward the main residential development at Slade Lane.

“Over the last 10 years, Conygar has been a significant investor in Wales and South West Wales in particular. We have a number of substantial projects on Anglesey, a large-scale retail scheme in Llandudno Junction (which we are developing in conjunction with Conwy County Borough Council) and we are soon to complete a 106,000 square foot retail development in Cross Hands, Carmarthenshire. This latter scheme was another site that Sainsbury’s chose not to develop. However, in that instance, Carmarthenshire Council chose to encourage our investment in the site, on the basis of the jobs and other local benefits that would be created, and adopted a more pragmatic position in terms of the planning permissions that were needed to bring the scheme forward.

“In Pembrokeshire, apart from Slade Lane, we are progressing a major project in Fishguard, which will see a significant improvement to the existing Port and the creation of a new marina and a residential development, for which we are also presently seeking various permissions.

“Up until last year, we also had a £4.8 million investment in the Martello Quays project in Pembroke Dock. Sadly, however, we were forced to write this off, due to us not being able to reach agreement with Pembrokeshire County Council. It is most unfortunate that we have, again, been unable to find common ground with the Council on Slade Lane, where we believe that our plans would considerably benefit both the residents and the business community of Haverfordwest.

“Conygar has £46 million of cash and no debt. Our shareholders are keen for us to use our funds, not only to develop the investments we already have, but also to find new opportunities both in England and in Wales. We understand that there will be different opinions, locally, on the projects we promote, but it is logical that any institution will choose to invest where the local community welcomes its interest and involvement, without which it is difficult to make progress.

“The Slade Lane site is one of our key strategic ownerships and we remain committed to delivering a successful development to the economic benefit of the entire region.”

Concept of the new cinema: At the existing Wilko site

A second cinema proposal has also been submitted by Fairacre, who own the Wilko shop and the Riverside Quay Shopping Centre.

Their development, which would see the existing Wilko store on Old Bridge partly demolished, would house five cinema screens and four restaurants, as well as an outdoor seating area.

There would be a loss in parking spaces, dropping to 106 down from its current 153.