News

St Davids: Controversial Premier Inn remains on development plan

Published

7 years ago

December 4, 2017

DEVELOPMENT plans for St Davids have been revised – and still feature a controversial 63-bedroom Premier Inn, which residents have been opposed to.

The site, to the west of Glasfryn Road, will consist of 70 new homes, 38 of which will be affordable properties, in addition to the hotel.

The plans are proposed by four Applicants including Pembrokeshire Housing Association (PHA), Mill Bay Homes, Swangate Developments and Whitbread, the parent company of Premier Inn. If approved, the development will make an important contribution to meeting the need for affordable homes in St Davids and the Pembrokeshire Peninsular.

“Working with the Applicants, we are able to deliver a significant number of new homes in an area that desperately needs them” said Nigel Sinnett, Group Property Services Director at Pembrokeshire Housing Association.

“More than 50% of the homes proposed at Glasfryn Road are affordable homes, double the target for the site, which we will be able to deliver quickly should the application be approved.”

Through the involvement of Mill Bay Homes, the ‘for sale’ properties will also contribute indirectly to providing affordable homes as the surplus from the sale of these properties will be covenanted to Pembrokeshire Housing Association to fund affordable homes elsewhere.

Latest figures from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority states a need for 370 affordable homes in the National Park.

“An important objective of the development is to ensure local people benefit”, commented Matthew Owens, Operations Manager at Mill Bay Homes.

“A number of the ‘for sale’ properties will be offered as shared ownership homes, helping to make them more affordable to buyers. We also propose to explore the possibility of offering local residents or individuals with a connection to the local area, the first opportunity to buy the for-sale properties when the development is marketed.”

The plans to redevelop the allocated site were initially launched in May 2017.

“The plans have generated a lot of interest”, said Kevin Murray, Head of Property Acquisitions (North) who is leading Whitbread’s involvement in the Glasfryn Road site.

“We are convinced the new Premier Inn hotel will benefit St Davids. By contributing towards the planning application costs, we are also helping to facilitate the delivery of the new affordable homes in an area that desperately needs them.”

Planning policy in Wales encourages development on sites that can be freed from planning, physical and ownership constraints in order to create sustainable communities where people want to live. Increased ‘serviced’ hotel accommodation, such as that provided by Premier Inn, is also supported by national and regional planning policy.

“Our customers are very loyal to our brand”, continued Kevin.

“We are very good at marketing our hotels to our customer base. As well as diversifying the range of accommodation on offer in the Peninsular, a new Premier Inn hotel in St Davids will attract additional visitors to the city throughout the year, supporting the local economy. This has certainly been our experience at other seaside and traditional leisure destinations where we have opened.”

An independent economic assessment undertaken as part of the planning application estimates 40,000 guests will stay at the St Davids Premier Inn throughout the year.

These guests are anticipated to spend an additional £1.5 million per year in the local economy as they go out to eat and drink and enjoy the attractions and experiences in St Davids and the wider Peninsular.

Approximately 20 permanent year-round jobs will also be created at the hotel on opening.

The Applicants intend to submit a planning application to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority for determination in early 2018. Before doing so, the Joint Applicants will undertake a statutory consultation on the proposals starting on December 1. The consultation will run until Monday, January 8, 2018.

During this statutory consultation, the planning application documents will be available to view on the www.glasfrynroadplans.co.uk website. Comments on the application can also be submitted directly to the Applicants and will be reported within the final planning application documents.

Following the submission of the planning application, the National Park Authority will also consult St Davids’ residents on the development proposals. A decision on the proposed development is expected in spring / summer 2018.

News

2024 Sport Pembrokeshire Awards Finalists announced

Published

6 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

THE finalists for the 2024 Sport Pembrokeshire Awards have been announced.

In total, 252 nominations were received and, following a selection meeting, the judging panel has named 39 finalists.

Matt Freeman, Manager of Sport Pembrokeshire, said: “I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to provide nominations.

“Every year it gets harder to narrow the nominations down to three finalists and once again the quality of the nominees was enormously high.

“The number and quality of nominees just shows the strength of the sporting scene here in Pembrokeshire.

All the finalists will be invited to a grand presentation ceremony at Folly Farm on Friday, November 29th, where the winners will be announced.

The ceremony will also reveal the winners of two further categories – the Lifetime Achievement Award and the Chairman’s Special Achievement Award.

The awards are organised by Sport Pembrokeshire, Pembrokeshire County Council’s sport development team.

They are sponsored by Sport Pembrokeshire, Valero, Folly Farm and Pure West Radio.

The awards aim to recognise those people who have excelled in sport over the last 12 months, or who have given their time to coaching and organising grass roots sport.

Sport Pembrokeshire Awards 2024 – Finalists

(In alphabetical order)

Coach of the Year

Francesca Morgan (Swimming)

Philippa Gale (Netball)

Tom Richards (Tennis)

Female Sporting Achievement

Gracie Griffiths (Race Walking)

Helen Carrington (Powerlifting)

Seren Thorne (Shooting)

Male Sporting Achievement

Jeremy Cross (Tennis)

Rhys Llewellyn (Athletics)

Sam Coleman (Powerboat Racing)

Boys (U16) Sporting Achievement

Carter Heywood (Football)

Hugo Boyce (Cycling)

Ned Rees-Wigmore (Hockey)

Girls (U16) Sporting Achievement

Cerys Griffiths (Swimming)

Chloe John-Driscoll (Shooting)

Ffion Bowen (Football)

Disability Sport Award

Evelyn Thomas (Powerlifting)

Jules King (Crossfit)

Marc Evans (Cricket)

Junior (U16) Disability Sport Award

Finnley Walters (Boxing)

Jac Johnson (Gymnastics)

Lewis Crawford (Boccia)

Unsung Hero

John Laugharne (Rugby)

Owen Shanklin (Pool)

Sue Christopher (Surf Lifesaving)

Team Achievement of the Year

Alan Evans, Andrew Evans & Michael John (Short Mat Bowls)

Fishguard & Goodwick Ladies Hockey Club

Pembrokeshire County Bowls Team

Junior (U16) Team Achievement of the Year

Chaos Thunder U12’s Netball Team

Hakin United AFC u16’s

Neyland Yacht Club Junior Sailing Team

Young Volunteer of the Year

Anna May (Tennis & Surfing)

Caitlin Chapman (Netball)

George Richards (Cricket)

Club Organiser

Nadine Tyrrell (Gymnastics)

Nick Shelmerdine (Cricket)

Paul Hudson (Short Mat Bowls)

Club of the Year

Camrose AFC Women & Girls Football

Haverfordwest Gymnastics Club

Strength Academy Wales Cymru

Pictured above: The 2023 Club of the Year winner – Pembroke Cricket Club.

Crime

Man jailed for Pembroke Dock cannabis farm involvement

Published

8 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Madeline Knox

AN ALBANIAN man, Armando Beti, 37, was sentenced to two years and eight months in prison at Swansea Crown Court on Friday (Nov 15) for his role in producing class B drugs.

Beti, who has prior convictions in 2022 and 2023, was arrested on October 3, 2024, at 10:00am after police found him hiding in a neighbouring building’s attic. The arrest followed a raid on the former Woolworths building on Dimond Street, Pembroke Dock, where officers discovered three rooms containing 594 cannabis plants. The crop was described as part of a wholesale operation, with an estimated street value of between £64,000 and £196,000, depending on yield.

Using an aerial drone, police tracked Beti as he attempted to escape by crossing two rooftops. He pleaded guilty immediately after his capture, claiming the cannabis farm was already operational when he arrived 10 days earlier. Beti described himself as merely the gardener, tasked with watering the plants, and alleged he was coerced into the role by individuals he met at an immigration detention centre to repay a debt.

Beti’s defence counsel stated: “He is under no illusion regarding the seriousness of his offending. He is eager to start his prison sentence so he can ultimately reunite with his wife in Albania.”

However, Judge Geraint Walters rejected Beti’s claims, citing a pattern of similar excuses in previous cases. The judge noted that Beti had been convicted in Cardiff in 2022 for cultivating over 600 cannabis plants, during which he also claimed to be a coerced gardener with little knowledge of the operation.

In delivering the sentence, Judge Walters said: “People like you need to understand that judges are not completely naive. We know what is going on. We are well aware of the activities of criminal Albanian gangs in this country, as are you.”

Police believe the operation uncovered in Pembroke Dock is linked to a wider network of organised crime targeting rural locations for cannabis cultivation.

Community

Pembs Agricultural Society’s Christmas Fair expands to an all-weekend event

Published

12 hours ago

November 15, 2024

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY’S Christmas Fair will be an all-weekend event next month. The Christmas shopping extravaganza is all set to take place on Saturday, 14 December as well as Sunday, 15 December.

The Parkhouse building on the Haverfordwest Showground will be transformed into a Christmas paradise. There will be even more stalls this year with a wide variety of quality local businesses exhibiting as well as festive music, Santa in his Grotto and an outdoor food court.

Judith Roach and Emma Thomas, the event organisers, said, “We are excited to be able to announce that our Christmas Fair will be on for two days rather than just one this year. We continue to build on the success of last year’s event with twice the opportunities to attend and even more stallholders. It will be the perfect start to the festive season as the Parkhouse Building will be transformed into a one-stop-shop for those preparing for Christmas.”

The Fair will be open from 10am until 4pm and admission is free. Visitors will find unique gifts, handmade decorations, art and beautiful homeware. Some of the county’s very best food and drink producers will also have stalls to give visitors the opportunity to stock up on all their festive treats. From decadent chocolate brownies, fudge, festive spirits to Welsh cheeses, there’s something to tantalise everyone’s tastebuds. There will also be a range of outlets for ‘on the go’ eating and drinking.

One special guest at the event will be everyone’s favourite bearded gentleman in red – Santa will be taking time out from his busy schedule to attend the event. There will be a charge of £3 per child to visit Santa and all proceeds will go directly to Sandy Bear charity to support their work. Each child will receive a small gift from Santa as part of their visit. Parents can book in advance via the website: www.sandybear.co.uk/santa

Adam Thorne, Pembrokeshire Agricultural Society’s President is looking forward to the festive event. He said, “The Society would like to thank Judith and Emma for all the hours they have put in, voluntarily, to organise the two-day Christmas event. We’re delighted to be able to offer visitors the opportunity to do all their Christmas shopping whilst enjoying the festive atmosphere.”

Follow Pembrokeshire County Show’s Christmas Fair event page on Facebook for a full list of stallholders in the run up to the event.