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Milford Haven: New 100-bedroom Tŷ Hotel opens to guests for the first time

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TODAY is being heralded as a special day for Milford Waterfront, as the doors to the brand new, 100-bedroom Tŷ Hotel Milford Waterfront opens to guests.

Lucy Wonnacott, Marketing Manager said: “We’ve been on quite a journey over the last 30 years, reinventing the former dockyard into a tourism destination. It must have been quite hard for locals to believe in the 1980s what the area would become in the future, but just look at it now. From the Tall Ships Race launching at Milford Marina back in 1991, to the transformation of heritage buildings into attractions, the addition of new buildings to accommodate residents, and hospitality, retail and service businesses, and innovative additions for visitors to eat and stay. Over the last 10 years in particular the transformation has been incredible thanks to a dedicated independent business community, committed to making Milford Haven a place that people want to visit. We’re extremely proud that our hidden gem in Pembrokeshire has evolved into a must-visit destination for locals and visitors, who come to Milford Waterfront to enjoy our bustling food scene, browse in the fantastic boutique shops and galleries, enjoy attractions such as Milford Haven Museum and Phoenix Bowl, and a varied calendar of events. But many guests just enjoy spending time here taking in the ever-changing views of Milford Marina and the Milford Haven Waterway.

The Herald asked why the hotel was built and if the Port felt that there was demad for such a large facility.
We were told: ”The Port of Milford Haven’s raison d’etre is “Building the Haven’s prosperity”. This doesn’t just mean generating income for the Port itself, it means that we invest in projects and initiatives which facilitate opportunities for us to prosper, as a community (in fact, as a Trust Port established by an act of Parliament, we ensure that our profits are reinvested for the long term benefit of the community). Growing prosperity in hospitality and tourism is one of the Port’s key strategic themes and we’re fully committed to investing in Milford Waterfront to enhance the local tourism economy. We have a strategic partnership with Visit Pembrokeshire, and also actively support the great work that Visit Milford Haven does in promoting all that Milford Haven has to offer.

“The project to build a hotel started many years before the demolition crew came in to start removing the old ice factory which served the fleets that fished out of Milford Haven for decades. It was a collaborative project which took detailed planning, and an investment of over £10m by the Port of Milford Haven. But, as our CEO, Andy Jones would say, “We know how to run a port, but we don’t know how to run a hotel so finding the right partner to manage this successfully for us was crucial.” So, we were delighted to announce in March 2021 that the Celtic Collection would be managing this brand new 100-bedroom Tŷ Hotel, right in the heart of Pembrokeshire and that it would be built by Welsh contractor, Carter Lauren Construction.”

Business

Ferry Terminal ‘extremely busy’ due to ongoing Holyhead closure

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PEMBROKE DOCK Ferry Terminal has been experiencing significant congestion today as ferry services remain under immense pressure following the closure of Holyhead Port earlier this month.

The disruption, caused by storm damage, has rerouted ferry traffic through Pembrokeshire, leading to long queues and crowded facilities at the terminal.

The Herald can confirm that it has been very busy today with cars, lorries, and foot passengers queuing in large numbers. Staff are working tirelessly to manage the influx, directing vehicles and assisting passengers as they prepare to board the heavily booked ferries.

A spokesperson for the Port of Milford Haven said: “We are working closely with ferry operators and local authorities to ensure traffic flows as smoothly as possible, but the sheer volume of vehicles is causing unavoidable delays.”

Travelers are being urged to arrive early for their sailings and to remain patient as the terminal operates at full capacity.

Both Stena Line and Irish Ferries have increased capacity on their Pembrokeshire routes, deploying larger vessels, including the Stena Adventurer and the MV James Joyce, to handle the surge in demand.

From our position at the terminal, our photographer has captured photos showing long lines of vehicles, groups of foot passengers carrying luggage, and port staff coordinating efforts to ease congestion.

Authorities are advising non-essential travelers to consider rescheduling their journeys where possible and to monitor updates from ferry operators closely.

(Photos: Martin Cavaney/Herald)

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52 homes to be built in Roch as scheme gets final sign-off

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THE FINAL stage of approval for a near-£10m Pembrokeshire residential development of 52 homes has been given the go-ahead.

Back in April, members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee backed an application by Wakefield Pembrokeshire Ltd for the development, which includes four one-bed affordable housing units, on land near Pilgrims Way, Roch.

18 objections to the scheme were received, raising concerns including an “inadequate” affordable housing level, it being a high density development for a rural area, a loss of green space, the size of some of the homes, and pressures on existing services and facilities, and fears it may lead to an increase in second homes.

Nolton & Roch Community Land Trust (N&RCLT) has raised its concerns about a lack of affordable homes at the development, calling for a 20 per cent affordable homes element, as recommended by policy.

An officer report for members, recommending conditional approval, said: “It is apparent that the proposed development is not fully policy compliant, insofar as it cannot deliver the indicative 20 per cent affordable housing sought [by policy].

“However, a substantial positive social impact will arise through the provision of housing, including four one-bed affordable housing units, in meeting identified needs for both market and affordable housing.

“Financial obligations identified to mitigate adverse impacts arising from the proposed development cannot be met in full. However, [policy] acknowledges that in such circumstances contributions may be prioritised on the basis of the individual circumstances of each case.”

Speaking at the meeting, agent Gethin Beynon said the project had a “significant economic value” of around £10m, and the local applicant had “a sense of stewardship to the local community,” offering affordable housing and community infrastructure towards highways and education.

Approval was delegated to the council’s head of planning to approve the application, subject to the completion of a Section 106 planning obligation, making community financial contributions.

The Section 106 agreement was recently agreed, with the application now formally approved.

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World of engineering and welding SPARCs interest in Ysgol Harri Tudur’s female learners

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AN EVENT hosted by Ledwood Engineering gave girls from Year 8 and 9 at Ysgol Harri Tudur first-hand experience of the world of engineering recently. 

Engineering is a booming sector in Pembrokeshire with a high demand for skilled workers in exciting career pathways associated with the development of low carbon and renewable energy industry and the Celtic Freeport. 

The young women heard from industry experts on the importance of engineering in Pembrokeshire, and had hands on experience using a welding simulator, at the company’s Pembroke Dock site. 

The learners are part of the County’s SPARC (Sustainable Power and Renewable Construction) initiative aimed as inspiring and empowering young females to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) pathways where females are under-represented in the workforce. 

SPARC is funded through an alliance comprising Blue Gem Wind, Ledwood Engineering, Port of Milford Haven, RWE Renewables, Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire College and the Swansea Bay City Deal. 

Mrs Laura Buckingham, SPARC practitioner at Ysgol Harri Tudur said: “Our learners had a fantastic experience at Ledwood Engineering.  They were given lots of advice by industry experts on the different career options and pathways within the engineering sector.  

“They appreciated the opportunity to ask their questions and found the session very informative. Having the chance to trial their welding skills on the simulator was an experience they continue to talk about and has definitely piqued their interest.”

Poppy Sawyer, Year 8 SPARC learner added:  ‘It was a really good trip. Talking to the different people there has helped me know more about the jobs we could get which will be very useful when making choices for my future.”  

 “They helped us a lot by giving us lots of information. We were able to look around and try welding. It was really fun,” added Tianna Marshall, Year 8 SPARC learner.

The Regional Learning and Skills Partnership also launched its Explore Engineering interactive website at the event.

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