News

St Davids: Premier Inn plans approved

Published

8 years ago

June 6, 2018

THE APPLICATION for a Premier Inn Hotel and other homes in St Davids has been delegated to National Park officers to approve after members of the Development Management Committee gave their support.

The Committee met at a packed Ty’r Pererin Hall on Quickwell Hill in St Davids today (Jun 6).

Members of the YoPI (Yes to Premier Inn) and NoPI (No to Premier Inn) campaigns were also in attendance and gave their views to the committee.

The plans will see the hotel, 38 affordable homes and 32 open market dwellings built on land at Glasfryn Lane.

St Davids County Councillor David Lloyd said: “Prior to the interest of Premier Inn to locate in St Davids the homes were to have been developed by the St Davids Peninsula Community Land Trust, following seven years of preparatory work, with a view to employing the profits from the sale of the open market homes to match fund the replacement of the local swimming pool closed in 2009.

“The controversy surrounding Premier Inn’s interest, however, resulted in the Community Land Trust having to withdraw from the project causing the plans to create a new pool to be abandoned. Fortunately, the badly needed provision of affordable housing for local people remains part of the application. It is in my view imperative that these homes are built.

“Ysgol Dewi Sant’s School roll dropped from over 500 pupils to as few as 390 in 2016. As is well known, in January 2016, the school was scheduled for closure. It narrowly survived, but at the price of losing its sixth form. In my view it is unthinkable that the chance of underpinning the school’s future should not now be grasped.

“With regard to the Premier Inn element of the application, notwithstanding the blow of losing what in my view will be the only chance of replacing the pool, I support the application.

“The 63 new bedrooms would serve to replace the 55 2/3-star hotel rooms that have been lost in recent years following the closure of Whitesands Bay Hotel, St Nons Hotel, Glan Y Mor Hotel and the change in status of Twr Y Felin Hotel. In my view St Davids is seriously under provided for in mid-range hotel accommodation, a view shared by Keith Griffiths, proprietor of what is now the five-star Twr Y Felin.

“The experience of Tenby, which is wholly reliant on tourism, as is St Davids, has shown that the arrival of Premier Inn has been a major boost to trade in both the accommodation and retail sector. I am confident the same will apply to St Davids.

“Finally I turn to the question of the nature of the joint application. While it would not be accurate to say that Premier Inn is enabling the provision of housing within the joint project it would be fair to say that by sharing the significant cost of the various site surveys and the cost of planning application itself, it has made possible the almost unique proportion of affordable houses, some 54%, that make up the housing element of this application. It is a remarkable opportunity for the St Davids Peninsula and indeed for the Park and one too great to lose.”

Cllr Paul Harries felt that the application could have been better than what it was while other members were concerned about the hotel being three stories high.

Cllr Phil Baker said he was concerned about the need for 63 beds and questioned why it had to be three-storey.

Mr Ted Sangster moved that the recommendation to delegate to officers be approved and that was seconded by Cllr Peter Morgan.

Cllr Mike Evans also sought assurances that the first lot of rented homes should go to local people.
The application was approved unanimously.

The decision was met with applause by some members of the audience.

Following the decision, Cllr Lloyd added: “I felt that the meeting was conducted fairly and everybody had the opportunity to give their views and this was acknowledged by members of the committee and the outcome was one that I very much support.”

Crime

Rugby player’s life changed forever by random knife attack — attacker jailed for 22½ years

Published

6 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Seren Baker

A YOUNG rugby player was left fighting for his life after being stabbed repeatedly outside a Gorseinon social club — and on Friday (Dec 19) the man responsible was jailed at Swansea Crown Court.

Morgan Hopkins, aged 18 at the time of the attack, was seriously injured in the early hours of Sunday (June 22) outside The New Lodge Social Club on Alexandra Road.

Mr Hopkins, known to friends as “Hobby”, is a local rugby player with Morriston RFC. He had been waiting for a lift home with his girlfriend when trouble broke out nearby.

The court heard that Mr Hopkins attempted to defuse a confrontation between another group of males and Kane Evans. As tensions rose, Evans approached Mr Hopkins armed with a knife.

In a final attempt to calm the situation, Mr Hopkins reportedly said: “No one needed to get hurt.”

***Morgan Hopkins,18, pictured here with his parents was left with life-changing injuries following the attack***

Moments later, Evans launched a ferocious and unprovoked attack.

Mr Hopkins was stabbed no fewer than ten times to the chest and abdomen. Surgeons later told police that one of the wounds was less than half an inch from being fatal.

He underwent extensive emergency surgery and was left with lasting physical and psychological injuries.

In a victim personal statement read to the court, Mr Hopkins described the terror of the attack and the devastating impact it has had on his life.

He said his dream of playing professional rugby had been put on hold, adding that the loss of weekly matches had left him feeling lost and isolated. He told the court he no longer felt safe in his own home and struggled to go out, describing ongoing anxiety and depression.

Mr Hopkins also detailed the financial consequences of the attack, saying he had lost around £4,800 in wages and a further £800 from a cancelled holiday.

Police confirmed that Kane Evans, now aged 21, had gone out that night armed with a kitchen knife and may also have been carrying a second Stanley-type blade.

Officers said Evans was aggressive at the time of his arrest and was later charged with attempted murder and possession of a bladed article.

At Swansea Crown Court today, Evans was sentenced to 22 and a half years in prison, with an extended licence period of five years to follow.

Passing sentence, the judge described the attack as random and extremely violent, warning that Evans posed a serious ongoing risk to the public.

Family members and supporters of Mr Hopkins were present in court as the sentence was handed down.

Since the attack, friends, teammates and members of the local community have rallied around Mr Hopkins, offering support as he continues his recovery from injuries that have permanently altered his life.

Crime

Police appeal after stolen Ford Fiesta crashes into lamppost

Published

27 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Officers ask residents to check CCTV and dashcam footage

POLICE are appealing for information following the theft of a vehicle in Ystradowen on Thursday evening (Dec 18).

A silver Ford Fiesta, registration CV05 CVJ, was reported stolen from a property on Brynawel Terrace, Penygraig Road, at around 5.30pm.

The vehicle was later discovered on New Road, Cwmllynfell, where it had been involved in a collision with a lamppost.

Dyfed-Powys Police are asking anyone who may have seen the vehicle, or who lives or travelled along the route between Brynawel Terrace and New Road, Cwmllynfell, to check their CCTV or dashcam footage in case the incident was captured.

Anyone with information that could assist the investigation is urged to contact Dyfed-Powys Police online, by calling 101, or by sending a direct message via social media.

Information can also be passed anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555111.

Quote reference: 25*1032732.

News

Appeal after bin lorry and e-bike near miss in Tregaron

Published

33 minutes ago

December 19, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Police seek witnesses and dashcam footage after rider injured

Dyfed-Powys Police are appealing for information following a near-miss collision involving a bin lorry and an electric bike rider in Tregaron, Ceredigion.

The incident is reported to have taken place between 12:00pm and 1:00pm on Saturday, December 13, near a property known as Crynfryn.

Police said the electric bike rider suffered injuries as a result of the incident.

Officers are keen to hear from anyone who witnessed the collision, or who may have dashcam footage from the area at the time.

Anyone with information is asked to contact PC Michael Jones at Dyfed-Powys Police via the online reporting form at https://bit.ly/DPPContactOnline, by emailing [email protected], or by calling 101.

Those who are deaf, hard of hearing, or speech impaired can text the non-emergency number on 07811 311 908.

Quote reference: DP-20251213-152.