PLANS to convert a garden shed to a holiday let at a Pembrokeshire seaside village with the highest rates of second homes and holiday lets in the county have been turned down.

In an application before Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Shabnam Banihashem of 19a Wesley Road, Little Haven sought permission to convert a rear garden shed, already replace with a summerhouse, to holiday let accommodation.

Local community council The Havens had objected to the scheme, saying it has concerns over parking and highway access arrangements, and concerns about impact on Highway traffic safety-related matters.

The park’s building conservation officer had recommended the plans be refused despite it being a “relatively hidden and constricted site” with a likely low impact on the conservation area, saying there “is likely to be an impact on character due to extra traffic – and the potential for setting a worrying development”.

An officer report recommending refusal said: “The Authority has concerns in connection with the proposal due to the impact upon the residential amenity of the host dwelling, and its immediate neighbours, the impact upon the character of the Little Haven Conservation Area due to the potential for additional traffic, and due to the proposed summerhouse being unsuitable in terms of size for the use of holiday letting.

“Ordinarily, when a proposal would result in the creation of a single residential unit, a financial contribution towards the provision of off-site affordable housing would be required [in accordance with policy].

“However, in this particular case, the unit being proposed would not be suitable for long term residential use due to the limited size of the unit. As such, had the proposal been deemed acceptable, the Authority would have imposed a condition restricting the use of the unit to C6 – short term holiday let.

“Given that it would not have then been possible for the unit to benefit from current permitted development rights between C3, C5 and C6 uses, a commuted sum would not have been sought.

“Overall, it is considered that the proposed development would have an unacceptable impact upon residential amenity, and upon the character of the Little Haven Conservation Area.”

The application was refused on grounds including “introducing a significantly greater level of noise and disturbance than the current situation, to the detriment of the residential amenity of neighbouring properties,” and impact on the conservation area.

A previous national park report, based on the second homes council tax premium payable to Pembrokeshire County Council,  has said nearly two-thirds of properties in Little Haven are either second homes or holiday lets.

For the main centres of settlements within the national park, second home rates, at the time of the 2023 report,  were: Tenby 28.07 per cent, Saundersfoot 29.35 per cent, St Davids 20.86 per cent and Newport 30.6 per cent.

For smaller communities within the national park, some of the figures were even higher: Amroth 47.37 per cent, Broad Haven 36.58 per cent, Dale 39.47 per cent, Lawrenny 28.57 per cent, Marloes 29.66 per cent, Moylegrove 22.64 per cent, and Wisemans Bridge 35.71 per cent.

Topping the list, by a large margin, were: Nolton Haven 60 per cent, and 62.96 per cent Little Haven.

A VISIT by a senior UK Government figure last week saw industry leaders highlight the crucial role of the Milford Haven Waterway in delivering energy, supporting jobs, and driving economic growth across the UK.

The representative met with members of the Milford Haven Energy Cluster – a partnership of key local and national stakeholders – to discuss the region’s contribution to both current energy security and future net zero ambitions.

Milford Haven is the UK’s largest energy port and handles around 20% of the country’s energy needs. It is home to major infrastructure including LNG terminals, a refinery, and a gas-fired power station, and is at the forefront of developing new clean energy projects such as floating offshore wind, hydrogen, and carbon capture.

Industry leaders stressed the need for long-term investment in port infrastructure, grid connectivity, and workforce skills to ensure the region can meet its full potential in supporting the UK’s green energy transition.

A spokesperson for the Milford Haven Energy Cluster said: “We were pleased to showcase how Pembrokeshire is positioned to lead the UK’s clean energy future. The commitment and collaboration here is real – but we need the right policy frameworks and investment to unlock our potential.”

The Herald understands the visit was part of a broader series of stakeholder engagements by national policymakers and officials to assess the UK’s evolving energy landscape.

FIVE years of practical innovation at the Advanced Manufacturing Research Centre (AMRC) Cymru has helped improve Welsh manufacturing, with businesses learning to work smarter, reduce waste and create better products.

Since first opening its doors, the £20m Welsh Government funded research centre in Broughton has helped more than 100 Welsh businesses make products better, faster and greener, while running more than twenty programmes showing manufacturing companies how to improve productivity and cut energy use. Shortly after opening, AMRC Cymru, part of the University of Sheffield, proved invaluable by quickly switching to produce life-saving medical ventilators during the Covid-19 pandemic by integrating into Airbus’ mobilisation team.

In partnership with the Welsh Government, the centre delivered the Ffatri 4.0 project, bringing Airbus together with food and drink manufacturers to help factories work smarter, increase productivity and reduce their environmental impact through new technologies. The Pudding Compartment in Flint has seen the benefits of this approach, using sensors to monitor temperatures and energy use, and testing factory layouts digitally, with smarter working resulting in higher output and new customers.

Jason Murphy, Strategy and Commercial director at AMRC Cymru, said: “It has been an exciting five years since Airbus, the University of Sheffield and the Welsh Government entered into an agreement that brought the AMRC to Wales.

“In a new facility on the Airbus site in North Wales, with support from the AMRC, Airbus have been developing advanced wing assembly processes for the next generation of single aisle aircraft – a hugely important program for the UK aerospace sector.

“But the focus for the AMRC in Wales is much broader. Cutting edge capabilities developed in translational research at the AMRC have helped Welsh businesses across sectors, including automotive, renewable energy and food and drink, to develop better products and improve their processes through innovation and technology.

“We look back on the last five years proudly, yet our greatest challenge lies in front of us; over the next ten years our goal is to transform the Welsh economy, working with stakeholders and partners to build a world class manufacturing sector.”

The Cabinet Secretary for Transport and North Wales, Ken Skates, said: “AMRC Cymru has made a huge impact in its first five years. We invested in this centre because we knew it would benefit north Wales, manufacturing and the wider Welsh economy. It has quickly become a vital part of our research network, helping Welsh businesses develop new products and prepare for the future.”

Last month, the AMRC, part of the High Value Manufacturing (HVM) Catapult, expanded thanks in part to £1.5m Welsh Government investment in a new digital factory hub at HVM Catapult Baglan in South Wales, helping even more Welsh businesses work efficiently while reducing their environmental impact.

The Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Energy and Planning, Rebecca Evans, said: “AMRC Cymru encapsulates what we want for the Welsh economy. By bringing together universities, government and businesses to accelerate innovation, productivity and sustainability, AMRC has created jobs and opportunities across Wales and has already become an important part of a business landscape ripe and ready to attract further investment and drive employment opportunities here.”