A community campaign has been launched calling for a dedicated banking hub to be set up in Pembroke Dock, following confirmation that yet another bank is to close its doors for good.

The campaign, led by Member of the Senedd for Carmarthen West and South Pembrokeshire Samuel Kurtz, is aimed at providing a banking lifeline for residents currently faced with lengthy journeys to carry out face-to-face meetings at their respective bank or building society.

The latest closure will be Lloyds Bank, Pembroke Dock, which will cease  operating on June 26. Other recent closures include Pembroke, Tenby, Saundersfoot, Narberth, Neyland, and Milford Haven.

Samuel Kurtz is now calling on residents, local businesses, and community councils to support his formal request for the creation of a Banking Hub in Pembroke Dock, which is a shared banking facility offering face-to-face services operated by major UK banks.

“This bank closure is a devastating loss for our communities,”  Samuel Kurt told The Herald.

“I know that online banking suits most people most of the time, but there are times when speaking to someone face to face is essential. Why should people have to travel miles and miles to enable this to happen?

“The LINK organisation, which assesses banking needs, claims existing ATMs and Post Offices are sufficient. But this doesn’t reflect reality — especially for elderly residents, small businesses, and those who rely on in-person advice and services.”

The most recent LINK assessment was conducted remotely on January, 29, 2025 and concluded that no new banking provision was needed. But Samuel Kurtz MS strongly disputes this.

He claims that essential face-to-face services such as mortgage advice, direct debit management and support of powers of attorney aren’t available at Post Offices, while poor transport links to alternative branches in Haverfordwest make travel costly and inaccessible for many.

 Sam Kurtz has now arranged a meeting with LINK to talk through the steps needed to secure a Banking Hub and is urging residents to sign an online petition and submit a review request to LINK.

“With community support, I believe we can make a powerful and evidence-based case for a Banking Hub in Pembroke Dock,  ideally based at the existing Lloyds site on Dimond Street,” he said.

“With Pembroke Dock being an important retail hub for South Pembrokeshire, it makes sense for a new banking hub to be located within the town.  This is why I’m asking as many people as possible who would like to keep access to banking services in the county to come forward and help make the case to LINK by signing the petition.”

People can support the campaign by signing the petition, requesting a review from LINK or alternatively, by writing to them.

FRESH plans for a Pembrokeshire holiday park extension have been submitted after a high court judgement overturned a council approval against repeated officer recommendations for refusal.

In late 2023 councillors approved a contentious application by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd for works including the installation of 48 bases for holiday lodges, a spa facility at a former pub, holiday apartments, a café and cycle hire, equestrian stables, a manège and an associated office at Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley/Stepaside.

It was said the scheme, next to the historic remains of the 19th century Stepaside ironworks and colliery, would create 44 jobs.

The final decision was made at full council after members of the planning committee had twice supported the scheme against officer recommendations of refusal, based on the Local Development Plan, included the site being outside a settlement area.

Approval was given, by 37 votes to 16, with two abstentions, as it was considered that greater weight should be afforded to economic benefits of the scheme rather than policy.

Since that approval, a successful legal challenge was launched by Stepaside & Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group (SPVRG Ltd), who had objected to the original application.

A March High Court hearing presided by Judge Jarman KC recently ruled against the council decision, quashing that approval, and saying “the reason given by the council did not deal adequately with the important principal issues of development in the countryside, sustainability and precedent”.

It added: “Nor did it deal adequately with the important principal issue of the extent to which detrimental impact on existing sites was or should be taken into account when weighing the economic benefit of the proposed development. The economic assessment of the interested party expressly dealt with the latter, but not the former.”

It said the “major departure from countryside and sustainability policies is likely to have a lasting relevance for the question of policy in future cases,” and the “council’s resolution [was] simply to endorse the resolution of the planning committee, which predated the fuller report of the head of planning to the council.”

A fresh application has now been submitted by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd, through agent Lichfields, which is identical to that previously approved, aimed at addressing issues raised in the recent judgement.

In its lengthy submissions, Lichfields says “it is clear that members can reach a decision that is contrary to the development plan without setting a precedent”.

It adds: “However, given that there remains a conflict with the plan policies, there is also a need to consider the nature of the 2024 scheme that comprise unique circumstances that mean that the decision would not set a precedent.”

Listing a long list of ‘unique circumstances’ reasons, it says: “Together the application offers a unique development which, when considered in its entirety, is a bespoke offering that means that there are specific reasons why the proposed development at Heritage Park should be granted and that in doing so, this will not be setting a precedent for future decisions.”

It finishes: “The council has already granted planning permission for the development with members having grappled with many of the issues raised in the judgment. We would welcome the council reaching the same decision while also setting out the requirements raised in the judgment as part of the reasons for granting planning permission.

“This will ensure that there can be no further delays to the delivery of the proposed development and investment being made at Heritage Park while supporting the wider economic development and community offer for the local area and Pembrokeshire as a whole.”

Amroth Community Council has once again objected; councillors proposing the scheme be ‘called in’ for decision by Welsh Government organisation Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW).

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

PLANS to turn a former school building to a motorcycle showroom have been given the go-ahead by Pembrokeshire County Council.

An application by Noel Davies of Merlin Autos Wales Ltd sought to change the use of the former Castle School Building, Snowdrop Lane, Haverfordwest to a showroom, which also includes an ancillary on-site café.

The site is currently vacant, having previously been used for cookery and teaching provision for the former independent Castle School, the use finishing last year; prior to that it was occupied by RAOB Lodge/Snowdrop Bar.

A supporting statement through agent Ian Bartlett Planning and Architectural Services said: “The submitted scheme is required to relocate to sustain the viability of the existing business operation Merlin Motorcycles currently located in the Prendergast area of Haverfordwest.

“Merlin Motorcycles, a subsidiary of Merlin Auto Services, was established in March 2016 to cater to the local motorcycle community in Pembrokeshire. Merlin Motorcycles operates from a former car showroom in Prendergast, Haverfordwest, with a floor area of only 122 square metres.

“Since its inception, the company has experienced steady growth and has outgrown its current premises. Recently, the installation of double yellow lines on the highway outside the Prendergast site has posed challenges in terms of parking and customer accessibility. The lack of space in the current location, limits the amount of stock that can be displayed and stored on site.”

It added: “Merlin Motorcycles has diligently searched for suitable premises within Haverfordwest but to date has been unsuccessful. Given the nature of motorcycle sales, the enterprise requires a level vehicular double-door access that is not readily available to any existing vacant retail premises in Haverfordwest.

“It is expected that the relocation of the business to a larger premises would facilitate the requirement for an increase in staff members to meet the demands of the business and to provide high levels of customer service.

“The site also provides the opportunity to offer an ancillary on-site café serving hot and cold beverages, cakes and light lunches. It is not proposed to offer hot food, and the café would not operate independently from the retail sales aspect of the enterprise, providing a service primarily to customers visiting for motorcycle sales.

“As motorcycle lifestyle brands increasingly leverage their physical retail spaces to incorporate in-store cafes, this move aligns with the evolving trends in the industry and offers opportunities for community engagement.”

The application was conditionally approved by county planners.