A FRESH call to allow the retrospective conversion of office space to a chocolate factory, a beauty salon and laundrette has been submitted after a previous refusal.

In an application refused by Pembrokeshire County Council in March, Mr M Williams, through agent Preseli Planning Ltd, sought retrospective permission for the subdivision of an office on land off Scotchwell Cottage, Cartlett, Haverfordwest into three units forming a chocolate manufacturing, a beauty salon, and a launderette, along with associated works.

A supporting statement, for the chocolate manufacturing by ‘Pembrokeshire Chocolate Company,’ as part of the scheme said: “The operation comprises of manufacturing of handmade bespoke flavoured chocolate bars.

“Historically there was an element of counter sales, but this has now ceased. The business sales comprise of online orders and the delivery of produce to local stockist. There are no counter sales from the premises.”

It said the beauty salon “offers treatments, nail services and hairdressing,” operating “on an appointment only basis, with the hairdresser element also offering a mobile service”.

It said the third unit of the building functions as a commercial laundrette and ironing services known as ‘West Coast Laundry,’ which “predominantly provides services to holiday cottages, hotels and care homes”.

The application was refused on the grounds it represents an unjustified out of centre use with regard to the salon and nail bar, “insufficient information has been provided to justify the loss of B1 employment floorspace,” and “the introduction of a hairdressing salon and nail bar, uses typically found within established shopping centres, into this out of centre location would undermine the strategic role, vitality, and viability of Haverfordwest town centre”.

Since then, a resubmitted application aimed at addressing the reasons for refusal has been lodged.

A supporting statement with that resubmitted application says it has “included additional evidence in terms of a sequential assessment, financial viability and client needs to justify the mixed-use unit having an out-of-town centre location, which is of a scale that would not undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre and has a saturation of similar services being offered”.

It adds: “The application has also provided additional evidence to justify the loss of 70 square metres of a B1 unit not being harmful to employment land provision in the settlement, where adequate alternative provision remains.”

It says the scheme “would represent a suitable re-use of the building, which would not undermine the vitality and viability of the town centre or result in harmful loss of employment land,” and would not “result in any significant harmful impacts upon neighbouring amenity or the character of the area”.

The latest application will be considered by county planners at a later date.

A POPULAR Pembrokeshire music shop is changing the way it operates, with Main Street Music confirming it will no longer trade as a retail shop from September 1.

The business said there will be an immediate 15% sale on all stock, but stressed that Main Street Music is not disappearing completely.

The owner said the decision had been made “with a heavy heart”, adding that the shop’s closure as a retail outlet would be a loss for Pembrokeshire as the county’s last professional guitar dealership.

He said his long-term passion had always been making musical instruments, something he had done since his teenage years, later receiving scholarships and a fellowship for his studies.

After college, he was given the opportunity to buy the business at the age of 24.

He said: “I have had an amazing time running this shop, giving it everything I’ve got, met some wonderful people and sold some incredible guitars.”

Although the business itself remains successful, he said tighter retail margins, dealership pressures and rising costs had made it difficult to grow in a way that would allow him to employ others and spend more time in the workshop.

The shop will eventually reopen as an appointment-only workshop and showroom for handmade guitars and repairs.

Current repair work will continue on a case-by-case basis by appointment only.

Main Street Music thanked customers for their support over recent years, saying the owner was proud of where the shop had been taken.

Caption:

Main Street Music will close as a retail shop from September 1, but will continue as an appointment-only workshop and showroom for handmade guitars and repairs.

A Pembrokeshire sports club, which was recently refused permission by the council to keep advertising signs which support its activities, is looking to fight that decision.

Earlier this month, in an application refused by Pembrokeshire County Council on the grounds of visual impact, Fishguard & Goodwick Bowls Club sought retrospective permission for up to 36 signs on land close to the town’s Phoenix Centre.

The signs, which the applicants said provide “an important source of revenue for the Fishguard and Goodwick Bowls Club, supporting the ongoing operation and maintenance of local community sporting facilities,” had been in place for some 18 months, being removed ahead of the formal planning application.

Speaking after the refusal, Richard Brind, club captain of Fishguard & Goodwick Bowls Club, said the club had discussed challenging the decision, and had been taking advice from local county councillors about the best potential route, with options including a direct appeal through the Welsh Government’s PEDW (Planning and Environment Decisions Wales).

“We acted in good faith as we believed we had permission from a PCC department to install the signs.

“The irony in all of this is we actually paid PCC to have the signs made by their sign making department (who were the department that told us it would be OK to install the signs on our fence).

“The landlord of the grounds which is PCC have told us that they had no objection to us installing the signs, providing planning is granted.”

Mr Brind added: “I’m disappointed with the way the planning department have handled the process, not the decision, but I do think that was wrong; other sports clubs have signs up in the area, it doesn’t seem right.”

On the financial implication, he said: “Unfortunately, the costs of everything goes up, the costs to maintain the green are not covered by our membership, this year we’re probably going to spend £5,000. The money from the signs was certainly helping to keep the club viable, if we don’t get that money from somewhere, maybe through increased fees; membership would have to go up by a half, from £80 to £120.

“The funding we receive from the ads, it’s not vital but it’s a definite help, losing it would be ‘death from 1,000 cuts,’ money slowly trickling out.”

He finished: “I could understand it if it was an area of outstanding natural beauty rather than a car park, where we are we’ve got Jewsons and a petrol station.”

A spokesman for Pembrokeshire County Council said: “The Local Planning Authority has considered the application in accordance with the Town and Country Planning (Control of Advertisements) Regulations 1992 (as amended), which require due consideration of the impact signage would have on visual amenity and public safety.

“While comments regarding advice the applicant received from other council departments and landowner consent are noted, each application must be determined on its own merits with regard to relevant policy and legislation.

“The Authority recognises the club’s valuable role in the community; however, financial considerations are not material to the assessment of advertisement consent.

“Whilst there is a right of appeal to Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), the Local Planning Authority remains willing to engage with the applicant regarding any revised proposals they may wish to present.”