Community
2000 affordable homes target in proposed council planning changes
A FORMAL consultation on changes to Pembrokeshire’s local development plan, with an ambition to create nearly 2,000 affordable homes, is to go ahead.
At an extraordinary council meeting taking place on September 13, councillors approved a public consultation on the Replacement Pembrokeshire County Council Local Development Plan (2017-2033) – LDP 2, Deposit Plan 2.
The consultation will take place later this year and run for a minimum of six weeks.
The Local Development Plan (LDP) sets out the local policy framework for determining planning applications and directing growth in the part of Pembrokeshire for which the county council has planning jurisdiction.
The report and proposal for a consultation was presented – and the recommendation moved – by Cabinet Member for Planning & Regulatory Services Cllr Jacob Williams, who tempted fate and superstition by pointing out that not only was the meeting being held on Friday 13, but the recommendation in the report was on page 13.
The report for members stated: “Pembrokeshire County Council’s current LDP was adopted in 2013 and has an end date of 2021, although it remains in force as the adoption of the plan pre-dated the formal introduction of statutory end dates for LDPs in Wales.
“Nonetheless the current LDP is now more than 11 years old and the need to prepare and adopt a replacement LDP is paramount, in order to make provision for the new growth needed to support communities and businesses up until 2033 and to protect and enhance Pembrokeshire’s environment.”
The new LDP2 includes a 60/40 per cent split between new dwellings proposed in the urban and rural areas, with a target of 5,840 dwellings, 2,000 of them affordable.
There are three strategic residential allocations made by LDP 2: Slade Lane, Haverfordwest; Maesgwynne, Fishguard; and South of Conway Drive, Steynton, intended to provide 622 new dwellings between them.
In town centre developments, protected retail frontages are retained but their extent has generally been reduced, with no residential use at ground floor level in the primary frontages, residential use above ground floor level being supported.
Two solar array allocations are included in the plan, at Llanstadwell and Wolfscastle, and a coastal change policy, which limits development in areas vulnerable to flooding due to sea-level rise.
A new policy on water quality, including protection of water resources, is also included, responding to the river water quality issues in the Cleddau and Teifi catchments.
Council leader Cllr Jon Harvey said there was a need for additional affordable housing, expressing his frustration at some developers “trying to chip away” affordable housing promises in developments.
The consultation is expected to be launched later this autumn.
Community
Tractor run lights up Pembrokeshire and raises funds for charity
THE PEMBROKESHIRE ILLUMINATED TRACTOR RUN took place today (Dec 21), raising funds for two vital charities: the Catrin Vaughan Foundation and Wales Air Ambulance.
Starting at Clarbeston Road AFC at 6:00pm, the brightly lit convoy of nearly 200 tractors made its way through Withybush Hospital and Haverfordwest High Street before finishing at the Pembrokeshire County Showground.
The annual event has become a highlight of the festive calendar, drawing large crowds to witness the spectacle of tractors adorned with colourful lights and decorations.
Funds raised from the event will support the Catrin Vaughan Foundation, which provides crucial assistance to families facing hardship, and the Wales Air Ambulance, delivering life-saving emergency medical care across the region.
Organisers praised the dedication of local farmers and volunteers, whose commitment ensures the event’s continued success year after year.
(Image: Nia Marshall/Facebook)
Community
Festive celebrations at St Davids Cathedral this weekend
ST DAVIDS Cathedral is set to host two special events on Sunday (Dec 22), offering a blend of joyful participation and traditional carol singing to mark the Christmas season.
In the morning, families are invited to the Scratch Nativity at 11:00am. Attendees are encouraged to come dressed as wise men, angels, sheep, or shepherds and take part in an unrehearsed retelling of the Christmas story. Canon Leigh described the event as: “Complete, wonderful chaos for an hour… but with some poignant, thought-provoking moments to centre ourselves on the real meaning of Christmas.”
Later in the evening, the Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols by Candlelight will take place at 7:00pm, featuring the Cathedral Choir. The event, steeped in tradition, will see the cathedral bathed in candlelight as carols and scripture readings fill the historic space.
Doors will open at 5:45pm for those seeking unreserved seating, and a large turnout is expected for this beloved Christmas celebration.
Community
Restoration of a pond hopes to support biodiversity in Pembrokeshire
AN OLD millpond at the heart of the Wallis and Ambleston community, and a site of Special Scientific Interest, has now been improved to benefit water quality and increase biodiversity in an area of South Wales, thanks to funding from Nestlé Waters UK.
Wallis Pond was created in 1836 as part of the tributary of the Wester Cleddau River to supply water to a local mill. Back in 1978, it was restored and later re-opened by HRH King Charles III, the then Prince of Wales.
Over the years, the pond had become completely silted up, restricting the waters passage and the pond’s ability to retain water, resulting in a reduced diversity of habitat in and around the millpond.
Pembrokeshire County Council, Heavyside Landscapes and Nestlé Waters UK have come together to restore the millpond with regulatory guidance from Natural Resources Wales and support from the Ambleston Community Council.
The project saw the pond re-dug and de-silted, and the old sluice gate replaced to re-establish the millpond. With the pond now able to hold more water, it is hoped to help build resilience to the increased frequency and intensity of storm events, alleviating the risk of flooding in the local area.
Retention of flows in the pond for a longer time should help reduce silt build-up and prevent nutrients such as phosphates and nitrates from travelling downstream in the Cleddau catchment, helping to protect water quality, improve aquatic habitats, and encourage eels, otters, damselflies, and other wildlife species.
Restoration of Wallis Pond is one of the projects that Nestlé Waters is working on as part of its efforts to help regenerate local water cycles and create a positive water impact everywhere the company operates.
Matthew Faulkner, Factory Manager at the Nestlé Waters site in Princes Gate, said: “We are proud to be a part of the Wallis Pond restoration work, aimed at delivering long-lasting benefits in Pembrokeshire, where we bottle at source Princes Gate and Nestlé Pure Life waters. This beautiful landscape is not only our home, but also home to some incredible flora and fauna which are vital for keeping the area rich and thriving in biodiversity.
“We’re working hard to protect this land and the water beneath our feet. Water is a shared resource and a shared responsibility, and caring for it takes the whole community. That’s why we’re grateful to be working with partners on this project that will hopefully have a positive impact on the local ecosystem and community.”
Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services at the Pembrokeshire County Council, said: “We welcome this funding to enhance the biodiversity in Wallis Pond which can be enjoyed by the residents of Ambleston, the wider communities in Pembrokeshire and the visitors to our fantastic county.
“This is an excellent example of partnership working that has significant benefits for the environment and the wellbeing of generations to come.”
Eirian Forrest, Clerk at the Ambleston Community Council, said: “We are grateful to Nestlé Waters UK for the funding and wish to thank everyone who has been involved in this project, especially the Pembrokeshire County Council team, for pushing the project forwards.
“The Community Council are delighted that the work has finally been done and look forward to the positive impact it will have on biodiversity. We have already received many positive comments from members of the community. The improved pond encourages locals to take a walk around the area, as well as sit down to watch and enjoy the wildlife.”
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