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Heatherton expansion approved

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• Committee overturns officers’ objections

• Economic benefits outweigh other impacts

Conditions must not delay development

THE COUNCIL’s Planning Committee voted to approve plans to extend holiday accommodation at Heatherton at its meeting on Tuesday (June 15).

Officers recommended refusal of the plans.

During their discussions, the Committee’s members noted the reasons for refusal detailed by the planning report. They concluded, however, with appropriate conditions in place, the economic benefits of the development outweighed the bases outlined for refusal.

Addressing the meeting, the applicant, Charlie Davies, told Committee members that the changing holiday market meant Heatherton and the area around it would miss out on opportunities to meet the demand for holidays in Pembrokeshire. He added that the planned expansion – to include a further twenty holiday lodges – would secure year-round jobs at Heatherton and have a positive impact on the local rural economy.

Mr Davies said the existing lodge development, approved by the authority seven years ago, improved the viability of Heatherton as an enterprise and would further strengthen the business’ finances.

Officers objected to the plans because they said the development would be outside settlement boundaries and run contrary to environmental policy. 

The report, presented by the Head of Planning David Popplewell, set out a series of concerns regarding the lodges’ visual impact, a lack of screening, and the lack of detail about landscaping plans and construction controls during development.

However, addressing the Committee as one of the local members whose Ward would be affected by the development, Cllr Phil Kidney said St Florence Community Council vigorously supported the application as being of direct benefit to businesses in the village. 

He pointed out that the economic benefits were not only Tenby centric but affected businesses elsewhere in the County.

Phil Kidney told the Committee his visit to a laundry in Pembroke Dock, by chance, revealed that laundry he delivered would be delayed because of laundry being done for the accommodation already on site. 

Cllr Kidney added that, bearing in mind the current furore over second homes, the provision of holiday accommodation on sites such as Heatherton could reduce the demands on local housing and open-up opportunities for local people to live locally.

He fully endorsed the proposal and said he could see no downside to permitting further expansion of a business that delivered jobs to local people, especially young people entering the jobs market for the first time.

Cllr Jonathan Preston agreed with Cllr. Kidney. 

He observed that the regulations regarding what constituted ‘a caravan’ were out of date and out of touch with reality. 

Although the proposed lodges were technically caravans; they were a world away from what most people would expect a caravan to look like and beyond the vision that informed the current rules regarding the term.

Cllr Mark Carter said the problems identified in the planning report could be addressed through the imposition of conditions on the development to offset them.

Mark Carter pointed out issues regarding the detail of landscaping works and lighting could be subject to conditions drafted by officers.

His opinion was warmly welcomed by both Cllrs David Pugh and Vice-Chair Tony Wilcox.

David Pugh said Heatherton was a successful business, employing local people and should be encouraged to continue to offer job opportunities for locals.

Tony Wilcox said Heatherton was one of the three main jewels in Pembrokeshire’s tourist crown. 

He noted the other two destinations – Folly Farm and Bluestone – both recently applied to extend their facilities, and he could see little or no difference between what Heatherton proposed and what officers were prepared to accept elsewhere.

Cllr Tim Evans developed Cllr Wilcox’s theme, observing that officers barely raised an eyebrow about a further eighty pieces of holiday accommodation at Bluestone, which he said had ‘whizzed through’. 

Subject to conditions being brought back to the Committee, he fully supported the application.

Cllr Jacob Williams, Chair of Planning, asked whether the proposed conditions would be back before the Committee for its next meeting in July. 

Having received an equivocal answer he moved that if the Committee approved the scheme, with the proposed planning conditions to offset officers’ objections must come before the Committee on July 27.

Cllr Pugh endorsed that approach by saying nobody wanted the proposal kicked into the long grass.

Councillors approved the plans unanimously by 14 votes to nil, and officers must prepare conditions to attach to the planning permission ahead of the Committee’s next meeting.

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Police issue update on M4 closure following fatal accident

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DYFED-POWYS POLICE has given an update on last night’s accident which closed the M4 between Pont Abraham and Llanelli last night

At 2pm on Tuesday, Police said officers remain at the scene of the road traffic collision which occurred at about 11.20pm, Monday 18, March 2024.

A spokesperson said: “A car collided with a stationary lorry on the M4 eastbound at junction 48 Hendy, resulting in both vehicles catching fire.

“Sadly the driver of the car died at the scene. Next of kin has been advised and is being supported by specialist officers.

“The M4 eastbound and westbound between junctions 48, Hendy and 49, Pont Abraham remain closed and road users are advised to avoid the area and take an alternative route if possible.

“It is anticipated that the westbound lane will open soon. The eastbound lane will remain closed until later this afternoon for recovery of the vehicles.”

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Council’s Planning Enforcement Team demolish ‘illegal development’

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PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL has taken direct action to remove a lean-to that was built against a neighbour’s listed building without consent.

Paul Mason built the lean to without planning permission or listed building consent from the Council contrary to section 43 of Planning (Listed Buildings and Conservation Areas) Act 1990.

As a result, the Council issued a Listed Buildings Enforcement Notice on June 17th 2021.

The notice related to ‘the construction of a rendered blockwork outbuilding within the curtilage of 1, Newport Road, Fishguard, Pembrokeshire, and the attachment of this building to the neighbouring property at 1, Glyn-y-Mel Road, Lower Town, Fishguard.’

The notice required demolition of the outbuilding and removal of all the resultant materials from the site and reinstatement of the gable end wall of 1, Glyn-y-Mel Road, to its former condition within three months.

Mr Mason appealed against but a Planning Inspector from Planning Decisions Environment Wales subsequently dismissed the appeal and upheld the Council’s enforcement notice on December 22nd 2022.

The Inspector considered that the outbuilding had a detrimental effect on the special character and setting of the listed buildings and that its removal was necessary to restore the architectural character of the listed building to its former condition.

After the appeal, the Council brought a prosecution for non-compliance with the requirements of the Notice.

Mr Mason pleaded guilty on the day of the trial on December 7th 2023 and was required to pay a fine, costs and victim surcharge.

Following prosecution, the owner failed to carry out the demolition of the outbuilding and so the Council’s Planning Enforcement Team stepped in and undertook direct action by way of contractors to remove the illegal outbuilding.

The outbuilding was removed on March 6, 2023 and the architectural character of the listed building has been restored.

The cost of the demolition will be recovered from Mr Mason.

Following the action, Cllr Jon Harvey, Cabinet Member for Planning and Housing Delivery, said: “It is sad that this situation had to get to this point and this is the first time in more than 10 years that the Council has been forced to take direct action.

“However, it was clear that the defendant was not willing to comply with the terms of the enforcement notice requiring removal so we have taken the necessary action.

“I thank our teams involved, including the Planning Enforcement and Legal officers and hope this action demonstrates our commitment to enforcing breaches of planning control and upholding the integrity of the decision making process.”

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Man remanded in custody following alleged assault in town centre

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A PEMBROKE man has been remanded in custody following an alleged assault against a woman in Pembroke town centre last Thursday.

Morgan Ralph, 38, is accused of assaulting a female, occasioning her actual bodily harm during the alleged altercation on March 14.

Ralph, who appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates on Tuesday morning via a video link from Swansea Prison, pleaded not guilty to the offence. 

His solicitor Tom Lloyd, informed magistrates that Ralph was acting in self defence during the alleged incident.

The matter was adjourned to May 23 when Ralph, of St Oswalds, Main Street, Pembroke, will be tried before Haverfordwest magistrates.

He was remanded in custody.

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