PEMBROKESHIRE Coast National Park Authority will soon be gathering views from members of the public on the impact of caravan and campsites in the National Park.

In a National Park Authority meeting on 1 May 2024, Authority Members approved a proposal to consult with the public on a range of proposed options to control caravan and campsites. The consultation does not cover existing sites with planning permission, but focuses on temporary sites operating under what are known as permitted development rights.

Feedback from the consultation will help to inform how the Authority considers permitted development rights in the future, with a number of options currently being considered.

The Authority’s preferred option is the introduction of an Article 4 Direction, which would mean operators of temporary 28-day campsites within the National Park would require planning permission.

The second preferred option is to introduce a voluntary code of conduct for exempted organisations, which currently have the right to run or approve caravan and campsites without the need for planning permission or a licence.

At present, there are 7,500 pitches within the boundaries of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, either with planning permission or operating under an exemption certificate. There is also a significant number of what are now popularly termed ‘pop-up’ camping sites, operating under the 28 Day Rule.

Concerns have been raised in recent years however, due to increasing numbers of operators not adhering to the 28-day permitted development rights, with many temporary campsites operating for a much longer period of time, which can be up to 6 months of the year.

Sara Morris, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s Director of Placemaking, said: “While these forms of development have contributed greatly to the number of camping and caravan pitches in the National Park, it has also given rise to campsites coming into existence without the degree of scrutiny or public consultation given to sites going through the official planning application process.

“As well as putting a strain on the Authority’s ability to fulfil its main statutory purpose of conserving and enhancing the natural beauty, wildlife and heritage of the National Park, the current situation is also undermining our ability to properly plan for the area and pursue a strategy of regenerative tourism.”

The National Park Authority commissioned a study in 2015 to examine what capacity there is to accommodate more sites within the National Park without harm to the landscape. The conclusion was that there is only very limited capacity in some locations, while others are already at capacity.

In addition to this, informal workshops conducted with statutory undertakers in late 2023 highlighted concerns around potential impacts on water quality and capacity as well as these landscape concerns.

The consultation, which will be launched in late May, will run until 5pm Friday 20 September 2024 and will be made available at www.pembrokeshirecoast.wales/get-involved/public-consultations/ upon launch.

Following public feedback, Members will consider the next steps required. If an Article 4 Direction is chosen as a preferred option, then a formal notice regarding this process will be issued in October 2024 with the opportunity for formal responses to be made to the Authority over a three month period. The potential introduction of any such Article 4 Direction would then take place in Autumn 2025.

HOPES a closed south Pembrokeshire inn could become the latest community pub in the county have been dashed after a lack of funds were raised; the owner now planning to turn it into two homes.

Earlier this year, The Parsonage Inn, St Florence closed its doors to the public, and a public meeting – at the behest of St Florence Community Council – was held in early February with hopes it could be run as a community venture.

Western Telegraph: The Parsonage Inn, St Florence. Picture: Google Street View.
In the last 20 years has seen eight tenants, with the closure coming about “due to the prolonged and sustained pressures faced to both the economy though the cost-of-living crisis with less trade, along with increases in utility, food and alcohol bills, as well as increases in business rates, minimum wage increases and further legislation on waste disposal”.

Local county councillor Rhys Jordan, who supported the meeting, said there was a strong desire to see The Parsonage Inn reopen its doors, but there was a need to temper enthusiasm with realism.

Western Telegraph: The packed meeting to discuss The Parsonage Inn, St Florence.
However, hopes the Parsonage would become a community pub have come to no avail, as just three per cent of the funds needed were raised.

Owner Daniel Scriven is now hoping, in a recently submitted application, to turn the pub into two homes.

Referring to the hopes The Parsonage could become a community pub, an application before Pembrokeshire planners says: “Following its closure in January 2024 a community meeting was held on February 5 in the village hall to discuss its future, during the meeting the challenges facing the hospitality industry were discussed and the community reviewed raising funds to take the Parsonage Inn into community ownership.

“Regrettably we understand following the meeting it has become evident that only three per cent fundraising of the asking price has been raised and no offer or approach to the applicant/owner has been made by the community to the owner to put forward a viable proposal, it would therefore appear unviable.

“Following its closure in January 2024, in March 2024 the final tenant along with some members of the community have opened a small community social club in the village hall during evenings on a more ad-hoc basis which would appear more reflective in scale and usage to the community it serves, alongside The [nearby] Sun Inn.”

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

Community pubs have become something of a Pembrokeshire story, with the Tafarn Sinc, Rosebush becoming community-owned after a huge fund-raising effort that attracted worldwide interest – including support from Hollywood star Rhys Ifans.

Other community pubs include The Cross Inn, Hayscastle, and the Tafarn Crymych Arms, Crymych, where volunteers raised more than £200,000 to buy the pub.

A young badger cub who had fallen onto rocks at Porthlysgi Beach, St Davids, has been released back into the wild after a period of RSPCA specialist care.

The male cub – which weighed just 1.455 kilograms (3.2 pounds) – which is the same weight roughly as three loaves of bread – was found on Saturday 20 April at around 1pm. He was understandably in a frightened state and was making distressed noises.

RSPCA Inspector and Wildlife Officer Keith Hogben attended the location – a rural cove off the Pembrokeshire Coast Path – to collect the badger and take him to a place of safety. 

A video taken by Keith shows when he was initially spotted as he was hidden amongst the rocks. On this occasion a specialist bag designed for wildlife was used instead of a cage due to the difficulties accessing the location safely. 

“The cub was found directly below a larger badger sett so we knew where he came from,” said Keith. 

“Luckily he was spotted and we were able to find him amongst the rocks and able to get to him before anything happened to him. He would have been very vulnerable out in the open and in the daylight.”

The badger cub was then assessed by Keith and RSPCA Wildlife Officer Ellie West who provided specialist care for the cub. 

Ellie said once the badger was fully recovered from his ordeal they were able to return him to his sett.

“On Monday 22 April he was taken back to the sett at dusk and released,” she said.

“We were really pleased he was able to be released so soon as he was still at a suckling age and would have not been out and about yet at this age much at all.”

If you encounter a badger who is injured or in distress please visit our website https://www.rspca.org.uk/adviceandwelfare/wildlife/badgers 

or call the RSPCA’s emergency line on 0300 1234 999.

To mark the RSPCA’s special anniversary the animal welfare charity wants to inspire one million people to join their movement to improve animals’ lives. To find out how you can join their million-strong movement for animals visit www.rspca.org.uk/200.