A PEMBROKESHIRE tennis club has been allowed to erect new floodlights for year-round use after a previous facility used for teaching junior members was closed due to vandalism.

Dean Richards, chairman of Haverfordwest Tennis Club, based at The Parade, Haverfordwest, sought permission for floodlighting for courts 1 and 2, along with an amendment of the lighting source at the two other courts, from metal halide lights to LED lighting.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “Haverfordwest Tennis Club has been operating for over 80 years at the current site on The Parade in Haverfordwest.

“The Tennis Club schedules club nights and tennis coaching for members and is available to both junior/adult and veteran members most days of the week, throughout the year.

“The club success is attributed to the dedicated members who maintain/promote the facility, where people from all backgrounds can enjoy the social and health benefits associated with the game.

“The tennis club currently has four tennis courts, two located near to the existing clubhouse (courts 3 & 4) and two located towards the southern boundary (courts 1 & 2).

“At present Courts 3 & 4 have floodlights; these lights are utilised between the months of September to April, with keycode access controls.

“In previous years two courts with lighting were deemed sufficient, as the club used the indoor tennis courts at Tasker Milwood School (The Dome) for members, and coaching for junior members.

“Due to the permanent closure of this facility in 2022 due to vandalism, we now need to provide flood lights to the two remaining courts to retain the current junior coaching program and continue the benefits for existing/future members of the club.”

It said the design of the floodlights at court 1 and 2 was intended “to reduce the visual impact as much as reasonably practicable, and to reduce the wider impact of the lighting on neighbours, to reduce any light spill/glare reduction,” with the lights only used September 1 to the End of April between the hours of 4 and 9pm.

An officer report said: “It is considered that the use of the flood lights should be subject to a time limit condition to ensure that the activities facilitated by their use will not lead to unacceptable noise disturbance for the occupiers of neighbouring residential properties, and to protect the enjoyment of the conservation area.”

Conditional approval, including a time limit on the floodlights and conditions on the strength of the lighting, was granted by planners under delegated powers.

PLANS to build three homes near the railway line on the edge of a south Pembrokeshire village have been turned down, in part due to no formal financial contribution to affordable housing, despite an informal offer being made.

Robert Bowen, through agent Ceri Davies Planning Ltd, had applied to Pembrokeshire planners for outline permission to develop the three plots on a vacant site between Westaways and The Laburnums, Station Road, Kilgetty.

The proposal was supported by Kilgetty/Begelly Community Council, but one letter of concern by a member of the public was raised, citing fears including an overbearing scale of the development and impact of the foundations on neighbouring properties.

A supporting statement through the agent said: “The planning application involves a proposal for residential development at a vacant site adjacent to Westaways. The application is in outline form only with all detailed matters reserved for future consideration. Indicative plans accompanying this submission show the siting of three dwellings with garden amenity space, boundary treatments and vehicular access and parking areas.”

It conceded: “There is no doubt that the siting of three dwellings at this location would introduce built form at an otherwise undeveloped site, however, it would not represent a prominent or conspicuous form of development.

“While the proposed development would inevitably change the character of the site itself, the proposed changes would not be to the extent that would result in an unacceptable impact on local amenity in terms of visual amenity.

“The proposal would make beneficial use of an otherwise redundant site.”

The agent’s statement said that the proposal for three open-market units fell below the affordable housing provision threshold, but said: “Nevertheless, the applicant accepts that a contribution through a commuted sum towards the provision of affordable housing will be sought as part of this application.

“The applicant is prepared into a Section 106 agreement with the council to secure the above provision; for that purpose, the legal agreement will be completed at the appropriate time.”

An officer report recommending refusal said that, while there were positive economic benefits to the development, it failed to comply with policy as the application was not supported by a Green Infrastructure Statement (GIS) and no biodiversity enhancement have been provided on the indicative plans.

It added: “The application is not supported by a Unilateral Undertaking and Certificate of Title to secure a financial payment (15 per cent) towards local needs affordable housing and therefore fails to accord with the requirements of policy GN.28 (Local Needs Affordable Housing) of the LDP.”

It also said the acceptable density was actually lower than policy.

The application was refused by officers under delegated powers on the basis of an indicative density of 19 dwelling per hectare rather than 25, no direct offer of an affordable housing commuted sum, and no Green Infrastructure Statement.

PLANS for coverings in parts of a north Pembrokeshire school to make them “useable during inclement weather” have been given the go-ahead by the national park.

Pembrokeshire County Council, in an application before Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, sought approval for canopies to cover school yards at Ysgol Bro Ingli, Long Street, Newport, a modern school built in 1993.

A supporting letter, sent through agent Harries Planning Design Management, said: “This application seeks to provide two new canopies/coverings to two open areas within Ysgol Bro Ingli.

“These coverings seek to allow parts of the school to be useable during inclement weather, especially the yard area. The canopies will be constructed with transparent materials to ensure adequate light and to ensure that no external lighting will be required.

“The proposal also seeks to propose a doorway to the north elevation of yard 2 to provide wheelchair accessible access to the covered area from the neighbouring building.

“The proposed canopies are within the grounds of the existing school. They do not seek to intensify the use on site, just to simply provide additional areas during inclement weather. Therefore, they will not create any negative impact on the surrounding areas.”

The proposal was supported by Newport Town Council.

An officer report, recommending approval, said: “The proposed scheme is considered to be acceptable in terms of scale, form, use and design. The development will not cause an unacceptably detrimental impact to the special qualities of the national park.

“It is not considered that the development will cause an unacceptable impact upon privacy or amenity of neighbouring properties. Ecology and landscape features will not be adversely affected by the development.”

The application was conditionally approved by officers under delegated powers.