News

£6m holiday park plans to be decided at special meeting

Published

1 year ago

November 11, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A PROPOSED £6m expansion of a south Pembrokeshire holiday park is again being recommended for refusal at a special meeting of full council, despite r being backed by planners twice in a row.

The application for the works at Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley/Stepaside, which had attracted hundreds of objections, was backed by county planners at their September meeting, and again at the October meeting, despite being continually recommended for refusal by officers.

It had returned to the October 3 meeting after a ‘minded to approve’ cooling-off period was invoked following the September decision, as it was against officer recommendations.

The controversial scheme includes the installation of 48 bases for holiday lodges, a spa facility at a former pub, holiday apartments, a café and cycle hire, equestrian stables, a manège and associated office, and associated works.

Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd, is proposing a £6m investment at the site, next to the historic remains of the 19th century Stepaside ironworks and colliery, which it says will create 44 jobs.

Officer grounds for refusal, based on the Local Development Plan, included the site being outside a settlement area.

At the October meeting, Tenby councillor Michael Williams, appealed for members to turn down the scheme: “You are going to destroy the very thing that most people come into this area for, it is called Pleasant Valley, if you allow this decision it will no longer be a ‘pleasant valley’.

“We are allowing the destruction of our natural environment, please listen to the local people, they have to live with this, and they are against it, and we have a duty to listen to them.”

After being backed for a second time at the October meeting, by eight votes to four, it will now be considered at a special extraordinary meeting of the county council taking place this Friday, November 10.

It is recommended the council does not endorse the resolution of the planning committee, instead refusing the application, a report stating: “The reasons advanced by the planning committee in support of the proposal do not outweigh the adopted Local Development Plan policies which direct that planning permission should refused.”

In the event councillors are minded to endorse the resolution of the committee, officers are recommending a long string of conditions.

News

Grieving family’s aim to protect young drivers in memory of daughter

Published

3 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

PEMBROKESHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL’S Road Safety Team have worked in partnership with the family of a young woman killed in a road traffic collision to launch an intervention for young drivers in our County and beyond.

Ella Bee’s Story aims to prevent further deaths on the road, particularly among the 17 to 25-year-old age group, and concentrates on the Fatal 5, peer pressure, driver behaviour and how to reduce the risks both as a driver and passenger.

Twenty-one year-old Ella Smith was killed in a road traffic collision on the Broad Haven road in 2021 and her family are bravely telling their story of the night it happened and the aftermath of losing Ella.

Two drivers involved in the collision were jailed for ten years each having been convicted of causing death by dangerous driving and causing serious injury by dangerous driving.

The intervention was launched recently and will be available to all schools and young peoples’ groups in the County, along with Pembrokeshire College.

The Road Safety Team worked closely with the family to put together the intervention which includes the production of two videos that can help educate all young drivers, and any adults with young drivers in the family.

Following the launch Ella’s mother Maria said: “We as a family and Ella’s best friends have worked tirelessly with Pembrokeshire County Council to produce a presentation on road safety to be delivered to schools, colleges and youth groups to educate young drivers on the devastating impact that losing Ella has had on us all.

“Ella your legacy will live on and you will forever be remembered for helping others even now.”

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett added: “The launch of Ella Bee’s Story was incredible moving. Ella’s family has been incredibly brave in their determination to ensure her tragic death is not in vain and this project will help other young drivers stay safe on our roads.”

For further information about how your school or youth group can access Ella Bee’s Story please email [email protected]

News

Storage container fire in Newcastle Emlyn

Published

4 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Tom Sinclair

AT11:48am on Friday (Jan 24), Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service crews from Llandysul and Carmarthen fire stations were called to a fire in Capel Iwan, Newcastle Emlyn.

The fire involved a 40-foot by 8-foot storage container and was confined to a generator inside. Firefighters used a hose reel jet, two breathing apparatus sets, a thermal imaging camera, and a positive pressure ventilation fan to extinguish the blaze.

Crews remained on site to dampen down the area before departing at 12:57pm.

Crime

Pembrokeshire man accused of assault and perverting justice remanded in custody

Published

4 hours ago

January 24, 2025

Sarah-Jane Absalom

A PEMBROKESHIRE man accused of assaulting a woman has been remanded in custody after allegedly offering her money to drop the charges.

Lohan Chapman, 19, of Primrose Close, Neyland, is accused of intentionally strangling a female during an alleged incident in Milford Haven on August 1, 2024, and of assaulting her by beating. He denies both charges.

This week, Haverfordwest Magistrates Court heard that Chapman was remanded in custody on January 18 after being accused of attempting to pervert the course of justice by offering his alleged victim an undisclosed sum of money to withdraw the charges.

District Judge Mark Layton declined jurisdiction in all three matters.