Senedd Member backs STUN’s £500k alternative to protect coast without harming village

SENEDD Member Paul Davies has joined growing opposition to Pembrokeshire County Council’s £40 million Newgale road realignment, branding the project “ill conceived” and urging the authority to reconsider a more affordable, environmentally sensitive alternative drawn up by the local community.

The Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project (NCAP), developed by the council in partnership with consultants AtkinsRéalis, proposes rerouting the A487 inland through the Brandy Brook valley. The scheme is aimed at mitigating future storm damage and sea-level rise, but critics say it will devastate the landscape, split the village in two, and waste tens of millions of pounds.

Mr Davies is working with the Newgale campaign group STUN (Stand Up for Newgale), who have drawn up a rival plan costed at just £250,000–£500,000. Their proposal would see a 400-metre stretch of the existing shingle bank moved around 10 metres seaward, maintaining the existing A487 route and drastically reducing environmental and financial impact.

“I’m very disappointed that the Council is pushing ahead with its plans rather than working with the community on a much more affordable scheme,” Mr Davies told The Herald. “We know the Council is struggling financially and yet somehow, it’s content to find millions of pounds for a scheme that the local community opposes.

“In my view, Pembrokeshire County Council’s plans are ill conceived. Any changes to the infrastructure in Newgale must meet the needs of the local community and should aim to be as environmentally sensitive as possible. I’ve raised this at the Senedd, and I will be doing so again, urging the Cabinet Secretary for Transport to intervene and support the local community.”

‘We just want the council to talk to us’

Peter Keeling, who submitted STUN’s alternative plan, told The Herald that the council has ignored legally required procedures and failed to properly engage with local people.

“We want the council to communicate with us and properly assess our alternative plan,” Mr Keeling said. “Realigning the shingle bank 10 metres seaward would protect the road for the next 80 to 100 years, improve beach access, and save tens of millions of pounds that nobody in the village wants to see spent on a new road through Brandy Brook.”

The STUN proposal includes drainage measures, improved beach access for disabled users, and avoids any disruption to existing businesses such as the Duke of Edinburgh pub, surf shop, and campsite. It also claims to meet every target laid out in the Welsh Government’s Future Generations Act and Net Zero commitments—unlike the council’s more invasive plan.

Expert: Council’s modelling is flawed and alarmist

STUN’s report is backed by a detailed independent assessment from Professor David Keeling, a retired academic who examined the coastal data underpinning the council’s justification for the new road. He concluded that the predictions of the shingle bank migrating inland were “unnecessarily alarmist” and based on “extreme upper-end climate scenarios” that do not reflect local conditions.

Professor Keeling states that moving the shingle bank 10–12 metres seaward would delay any significant landward movement by at least 80–100 years, while allowing real-time monitoring of sea level changes in future.

Historical evidence ignored, say campaigners

The group’s report also highlights historical records, dating back to 1795, showing that storm damage to the A487 from pebble over-topping has occurred only a handful of times in centuries—and was always remedied quickly and cheaply.

The 2014 overtopping event that prompted the NCAP plan, for example, incurred a one-off clean-up cost of just £13,000. STUN argues that even if such events doubled in frequency, it would still be more cost-effective to maintain the existing road than to spend £40 million on a new one.

Local business owners worried

Local surf shop owner Rhys Morgan told The Herald: “This road scheme could finish us. Most of us here would rather see that money spent protecting the beach and improving access—not destroying what makes Newgale special.”

Legal concerns over council’s process

STUN has also raised concerns that Pembrokeshire County Council may have breached its obligations under the Welsh Transport Appraisal Guidance (WelTAG) and the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process. They claim that their realignment proposal was never properly considered at any stage and was later dismissed on a technicality.

The group is calling on the council to restart the decision-making process, re-evaluate the modelling data, and consult the public on the cheaper, less destructive option.

Consultation open until May 11

The statutory pre-application consultation on the NCAP scheme remains open until 11th May 2025. Residents are being urged to submit feedback and demand that all options—particularly the STUN proposal—are properly reviewed.

How to have your say:

Email: Newgale@atkinsrealis.com
Post:
Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project Team
AtkinsRéalis
Floor 4, West Glamorgan House
12 Orchard Street
Swansea
SA1 5AD

Online: www.newgalecoastaladaptation.co.uk

Printed copies of the consultation documents can also be viewed at St Davids Library, City Hall, SA62 6SD:

Tuesday: 10:00am–1:00pm and 2:00pm–5:00pm

Thursday: 10:00am–5:00pm

Saturday: 10:00am–12:00pm

With mounting public opposition, academic backing, and growing political scrutiny, pressure is building on Pembrokeshire County Council to revisit its controversial plan—and engage with the community before it’s too late.

CHORAL voices rang out at Pembroke’s St Mary’s Church in a joyful effort to raise funds for the return of the church bells.

The Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir performed their latest concert in a busy spring programme, drawing a large and appreciative audience to the parish church. The event was a fundraiser to help restore the bells to working order in the church tower.

The Vicar, the Rev Heidi de Gruchy, welcomed both choir and audience, and the project’s background was outlined by the St Mary’s Bell Conductor, Frances Bunker.

In a heartwarming display of teamwork, Rev Heidi stepped in during the choir’s opening item, ‘Rachie’, when the music stand on the keyboard collapsed. Her husband, the Rev William Lambert, who is the choir’s accompanist, played on seamlessly as she held up the sheet music.

Once equilibrium was restored, the choir continued in strong voice, with humour and introductions from MC Matthew John keeping spirits high throughout the evening. Highlights included ‘Anthem’ from the musical Chess, songs from Les Misérables, and the spiritual ‘My Lord, What a Morning’.

The encore, ‘American Trilogy’, brought an added touch of fun, with three members of the audience—including a visitor from the Wirral—joining the choir onstage at Matthew’s invitation.

Rev William also performed two solo piano pieces, showcasing his musical talents with Chopin’s ‘Polonaise’ and Debussy’s ‘Clair de Lune’.

Among the evening’s notable moments was the concert debut of new baritone chorister Jonathan Price. He will soon be joined by other recruits in the baritone and bass sections. The choir continues to encourage more local men—especially tenors able to reach the higher notes—to come forward and join this welcoming group.

The choir’s next concert will take place on Sunday, May 4 at 3:30pm at Monkton Priory Church. They will be joined by old friends from the Mansfield Male Voice Choir, with around 60 choristers expected to fill the historic venue with sound. More details are available on the choir’s Facebook page.

Cover image:

Bringing back the bells: The Revs Heidi de Gruchy and William Lambert are pictured at St Mary’s Church with Pembroke and District Male Voice Choir chairman Huw Morgan (left) and new chorister Jonathan Price. (Pic: P&D MVC)

MILFORD HAVEN TOWN COUNCIL will hold a Full Council meeting on Monday (April 28) at 7:00pm at the Sea Cadets and Royal Marines Cadets Unit on Havens Head Business Park.

Councillors will be asked to review a packed agenda, with items ranging from committee reports and planning matters to the election of the new Mayor and Deputy Mayor for the 2025-2026 municipal year.

Current Mayor, Councillor W. Elliott, will chair the session, which includes updates on recent engagements by councillors, feedback from outside body representation, and financial matters relating to the town council’s accounts and expenditure for the past year.

The council will receive and discuss minutes from recent sub-committee meetings, including the Public Events Sub-Committee (April 22) and the Standing Orders Sub-Committee (April 23), as well as a review of the council’s insurance, financial regulations, and standing orders.

Financial accountability is a major theme of the meeting, with members set to review the Statement and Schedule of Accounts for March 2025 and a summary of expenditure covering April 2024 to March 2025. Applications for financial assistance from Milford Haven Men’s Shed and Milford Haven Round Table will also be considered.

Two councillors, V. Hammett and M. Woodward, have put their names forward for the role of Deputy Mayor, while the Mayor’s position for the forthcoming year will also be decided.

Later in the agenda, members will vote on whether to move into private session to consider confidential matters, including reports from informal meetings regarding the long-term future of Milford Haven Library. Representatives from Pembrokeshire County Council and the Port of Milford Haven have taken part in these discussions.

As per legislation under the Local Government and Elections (Wales) Act 2021, remote access will be made available to members of the public upon request.

The Herald will be following the outcomes of the meeting and providing updates online