Community

Llanteg and Amroth community alarmed by river pollution levels

Published

1 year ago

February 12, 2024

IN A STUDY conducted by the Llanteg and Amroth Renaturing Community (LARC), alarming levels of pollution have been detected in the rivers of South Pembrokeshire, raising serious environmental concerns.

The “Keep the Streams Clean Project” (KTSC), a comprehensive report initiated by LARC in 2022, aims to bring to light the deteriorating water quality in the region, particularly focusing on the New Inn stream that flows into Amroth Bay.

The initiative, supported by the Fishmongers Company through their Fisheries Charitable Trust’s Small Grants Scheme, conducted over 268 water quality tests. These tests uncovered widespread pollution across the stream network, with five pollution incidents reported to Natural Resources Wales.

The findings are particularly worrying for Amroth Bay, a cherished tourist spot, now threatened by high levels of nitrates and phosphates exceeding safe thresholds, indicating severe nutrient pollution. Despite generally low ammonia levels, instances were recorded where the toxic thresholds for aquatic life were breached.

Andrew Wallace, Fisheries Director of the Fishmongers’ Company’s Fisheries Charitable Trust, commended the community’s efforts: “This report exemplifies the impact of citizen-led initiatives on enhancing local waterways’ quality.”

LARC’s findings suggest that the pollution sources are varied, including private sewage plants, slurry runoff from dairy farming, and residential and commercial properties. The report stresses the community’s collective responsibility in tackling the issue, urging a collaborative approach between regulatory bodies, local communities, and businesses to find sustainable solutions.

Reflecting on the study, LARC commented, “The poor quality of the river at the New Inn is a community problem, requiring collective action rather than blame. We must seek solutions that prioritize environmental sensitivity.”

In response to these findings, LARC is continuing its environmental stewardship efforts, with projects focusing on biodiversity assessments and habitat restoration, including a new initiative monitoring streams through the Colby estate in collaboration with the National Trust.

A public meeting, organized by the Amroth Community Council, is scheduled for February 20th, 2024. It will address water quality concerns in Carmarthen Bay and feature presentations from Welsh Water, Pembrokeshire County Council Environmental Health, and Natural Resources Wales.

The report concludes with a call to action for the community to engage in discussions on water quality, hoping to inspire similar initiatives and foster a collective sense of responsibility towards local environmental challenges.

LARC continues to be a beacon of environmental stewardship in South Pembrokeshire, championing various initiatives to promote the region’s natural heritage. For further information or to participate in their efforts, LARC welcomes contact through their Facebook page or directly via Dr. Tom Bailey and Dr. Kevin Caley’s provided contacts.

The community awaits the outcomes of the upcoming public meeting, hopeful for a path forward in restoring the health of the waterways.

Community

Welsh Government invites applications for National Park Authority posts

Published

3 hours ago

May 20, 2025

Tom Sinclair

Three new members sought for Pembrokeshire Coast body

THE WELSH GOVERNMENT is seeking applicants to fill three upcoming vacancies on the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

The Authority is responsible for protecting the landscape, encouraging public enjoyment, and supporting sustainable development within the National Park.

Members play a key role in governance, planning decisions, and setting strategic direction.

Three Ministerial appointments are due to end in the coming months, and the Welsh Government is now overseeing the recruitment of their successors. Each appointment will be for a four-year term.

To help prospective applicants understand the responsibilities involved, the Park Authority is holding a series of informal drop-in sessions:

Tuesday 20 May – Garn Fach Room, Yr Hen Ysgol, Dinas Cross, Newport SA42 0XB

Thursday 22 May – Giltar Hotel, 9 Esplanade, Tenby SA70 7DU

Monday 2 June – Online session (details at gov.wales/public-appointments)

More information and full application details are available at gov.wales/public-appointments. For further queries, email: [email protected].

Please note that this role will not be listed on Webrecruit, as applications are being handled directly by the Welsh Government.

The deadline for applications is 4:00pm on Wednesday, 12 June 2025.

Community

Plans for ‘alien’ Tenby harbour gate refused after outcry

Published

11 hours ago

May 20, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

COUNCIL plans for ‘alien’ and ‘industrial’ metal gates to prevent vehicle entry on to Tenby’s iconic harbour have been refused by the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Pembrokeshire County Council sought permission to install a swing gate that prevents unauthorised vehicle entry, but allowing pedestrians, at Tenby Harbour Yacht Station & Harbour Office, Pier Hill, Tenby, in the town’s conservation area.

The proposed gates would be sited approximately mid-way along the harbour office.

The scheme included a related listed building consent application covering the harbour ‘pier’.

The scheme was supported by Tenby Town Council but Tenby Civic Society objected due to design, operation, justification and impact on the harbour setting.

A national park officer report recommending refusal said: “Whilst consultees are generally supportive of the proposal, it is not regarded as acceptable in terms of its impact upon the special qualities of the National Park including both character and appearance of Tenby Conservation Area and the setting of listed buildings.”

It detailed the scheme: “This application is for the installation of a metal gate on Tenby Pire alongside the Harbour Office to restrict unauthorised access to the end of the pier. The pier itself is Grade-II-listed and the site lies within Tenby Conservation Area central to the iconic harbour view.

“Due to the industrial design of the gates in what is a highly sensitive and extremely popular area, the proposal is not considered to preserve the setting of the listed pier or the character or appearance of Tenby Conservation Area.

“It therefore follows that there will be an impact on the special qualities of the National Park, that the proposal will cause visual intrusion and that it pays little regard to the sense of place and local distinctiveness.

“Whilst it is recognised that restricting access to the working pier would sustain harbour activities and may contribute to a certain extent to supporting community cohesion and health, the proposal is not considered to conserve or enhance the existing character of the harbour.”

It added: “The design and scale of the gates neither preserve or enhance the character of the area. In terms of character, the pier currently is available for users and visitors to enjoy daily except when during occasional events and operations when temporary fencing is erected. The proposed meshed metal gates are seen as intrusive in this context, quite alien to the public enjoyment of the area.

“Officers have considered the weight to be given to the desirability of restricting access to the working pier and reducing conflicts such as tombstoning activities and conflicts with boats. Temporary fencing has currently been used to achieve this which does not require permission.”

The application was refused on the grounds it “would introduce an unacceptable visual intrusion due to the overly industrial design of the proposed gates which would not conserve or enhance the existing character of the harbour,” and would “also cause harm to the setting of a listed building”.

Business

White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels’ expansion bid approved

Published

1 day ago

May 19, 2025

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

A CALL to expand the licensed area of a Pembrokeshire community pub, recently hailed as one of the most friendly in Britain, has been given the go-ahead by county planners.

The White Hart Inn in St Dogmaels was ranked second friendliest pub in the UK in a study by security experts Get Licensed, which looked at Tripadvisor reviews and median crime scores around each pub to find the friendliest in the UK.

The 250-year-old White Hart, on Finch Street, reopened as a community pub in 2021 following a campaign after it closed in May 2019, when the last landlords decided to refocus to other activities.

The White Hart Community Inn Ltd was formed as a Community Benefit Society and a community share offer launched with the guidance of the Wales Co-operative Centre.

Two years of fund-raising and campaigning saw enough money raised through individual community shares purchases together with financial support from the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government via the Social Business Growth Fund administered by Social Investment Cymru at WCVA, alongside a grant from Pembrokeshire County Council.

White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd had asked Pembrokeshire County Council for permission the expand the licensed premises through a change of use of the former manager’s accommodation, vacant since early 2022.

The application was conditionally approved by planning officers.

This is the second application for works at the White Hart recently.

An application by White Hart Community Inn (St Dogmaels) Ltd to install solar panels at the historic pub was recently granted by Pembrokeshire County Council.

That proposal was backed by St Dogmaels Community Council, which said it “fully supports the application for the installation of photovoltaic panels”.

Receiving the recent Get Licensed award, the White Hart Inn received a top score of five on Tripadvisor, and 66.67 per cent of its reviews highlighted the pub’s ‘friendly’ and ‘welcoming’ atmosphere.