Business
Energy leaders unite to enhance efficiency, reliability and capability at Port
AT a workshop held recently in Pembrokeshire, leaders from key industry organisations across the Port of Milford Haven came together to discuss ways to maximise efficiency and improve the Authority’s service reliability for international energy customers using the port.
Hosted by the Port of Milford Haven, the initiative brought together senior leaders from the oil and gas sector as well as service providers integral to the port operation including shipping agents and tug operators; each of them recognising the need for greater collaboration to address shared challenges. During the week-long event, delegates took part in a number of collaborative workshops that focused on maximising the Port’s customer service provision, while ensuring the highest levels of safety and operational reliability.
In order for the Port of Milford Haven to deliver a year-round, safe, efficient and integrated port service, participants agreed to support a number of actions including data exchange, resource allocation – covering both people and assets – and technological innovations.
One of the key outcomes of the discussion was agreement for all organisations to work towards a set of principles, key to ensuring the long-term success of the Port:
- Partnership Working: Collaborating to challenge current thinking, fostering innovation and continuous improvement
- Maximising Safety: Operating to the highest safety standards whilst using an analytically-based, dynamic and responsive marine risk process
- Enhancing Reliability of Service: Developing a transparent, optimised and integrated port coordination and planning environment that maximises the reliability and availability of the port
- Sustainability: A pan-port, long-term commercial view that secures the future prosperity of each of the businesses operating within the Port of Milford Haven, their communities, and their environment.
Tom Sawyer, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, said: “As the UK’s leading energy port handling or processing around twenty percent of the UK’s energy needs it is critical to the resilience and security of UK energy that we provide a port service that is safe, reliable and efficient 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
“Safely manoeuvring some of the world’s largest ships onto their berths within the Port of Milford Haven requires precision coordination of multiple resources. During much of the year this happens seamlessly but we recognised that more winter resilience was needed and these workshops and the Port’s investments made this year in extra pilots, pilot boat crews and pilot boats will improve this. By working collaboratively with our customers and other service providers we are confident we can retain an excellent year-round reliable service.”
Business
Nine holiday chalets to be built at Pembrokeshire fishery
AMENDMENTS to a trout fishery holiday chalet scheme, which was granted by Pembrokeshire councillors last year after being repeatedly recommended for refusal, have been given the go-ahead by county planners.
Last summer, Pembrokeshire councillors backed plans for holiday chalets at a trout fishery, despite them being recommended for refusal on multiple occasions.
Plans to provide nine accommodation cabins and ancillary works at a former fishery business at Millbrook, Manorwen, Fishguard, were backed at two meetings of Pembrokeshire County Council planning committee, despite them being recommended for refusal.
The application was backed for a second time at the committee’s May meeting, after a ‘minded to approve’ decision at the previous meeting.
The decision, a departure from the adopted Local Development Plan, meant the application would need to be referred to full council for a final decision.
Officers had repeatedly recommended Messrs L & C Williams’ application – diversification of an existing agricultural holding and trout fishery business – be refused on the grounds it would have an unacceptable adverse impact on the character and appearance of the countryside.
The application was then backed at the July 2023 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, despite a recommendation that the council did not endorse the resolution of the planning committee on the grounds it went against Development Plan policies which directed that planning permission should not be granted.
The applicants have now submitted amendments to the granted scheme, asking for revisions to the plans to include a lower carbon footprint through for both heating and hot water and the use of solar panels, along with larger decking areas and hot tubs to lodges.
The changes, recommended for approval at the October 8 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, also includes making thee lodges disability-friendly.
An officer report ahead of the meeting says: “The proposed amendments are essentially refinements to the approved scheme, enhancing accessibility, increasing the use of renewable energy; and improving the facilities offered by the scheme for visitors. Officers consider that environmental, social and economic benefits will accrue from the proposed revisions to the approved scheme.”
The recommendation for conditional approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall, who said: “I’m more than happy to recommend this amendment.”
He was seconded by Cllr John Cole, who said: “It’s a rejigging which will make the site more accessible for people with disabilities.”
The application was unanimously approved.
Business
New and improved Lidl store in Milford Haven approved
A PEMBROKESHIRE supermarket will be nearly a half bigger and employ up to 40 people after plans for a next-generation store were approved yesterday, October 8.
In an application recommended for approval at the October meeting of Pembrokeshire County council’s planning committee, Lidl Great Britain Limited sought to demolish the existing Lidl foodstore and adjoining properties – including the Enterprise Rent-a-Car unit – at Great North Road, Milford Haven, building a new Lidl foodstore with associated works.
A supporting statement through agent CarneySweeney said: “The existing Lidl store is small and of an early generation format. Owing to Lidl’s well-established and growing local customer base, Lidl has outgrown its existing premises which no longer meets modern shopper requirements, and a larger store is sought to better serve local customer demand.
“In addition, the existing store is inefficient with regards to warehouse operations. The proposal for a new store aims to alleviate the problems presented by the existing store.”
It added: “The development is suitably scaled to be no larger than necessary to address identified storage and staff needs and improve the existing store. Moreover, the new store will be better equipped to meet Lidl’s operational requirements, modern day staff requirements and better serve local shopping needs.”
The application says the development would create up to 40 jobs.
The car park will provide 93 spaces, including six disabled spaces, nine ‘parent & child’ spaces and two EV charging spaces, an increase in overall provision of 11 spaces.
An officer report accompanying the meeting said: “The application site comprises the existing Lidl foodstore and its associated car park; a car rental premises fronting Gt. North Road immediately to the north; and three dwellings (Nos. 61, 61a & 61b Gt North Road) which contain the car rental premises to the north and west. No 61 directly fronts Gt North Road and is semi-derelict. Nos 61a & 61b have been unoccupied since late 2020 and early 2021 respectively.
“The car rental premises is a former petrol filling station and underground storage tanks are understood to be situated beneath the site. These are to be removed. The overall application site extends to 0.74 Ha and is owned and controlled by the applicant.”
At the October meeting, members were told the proposal would lead to a 45 increase in the store’s retail sales area, the investment replacing the existing “first generation” Lidl store, believed to be the discount chain’s first store in the county, with an expected “30 per cent increase” in jobs when the development is built.
Approval was moved by Cllr Brian Hall, who said: “I think this will be a vast improvement for that area of Milford Haven.”
He was seconded by Cllr Rhys Jordan, who said he thought it was the first Lidl in Pembrokeshire, adding: “I think it will be very welcome to the people of Milford Haven, given the cost-of-living crisis there’s been a huge increase in the use of these stores.”
Another welcoming the proposal was Cllr Mark Carter, who said: “Milford Haven has more people living in it than Haverfordwest, but has a choice of two major supermarkets at the moment, Haverfordwest has four.
“It’s going to have a modern, fresh frontage to it which will brighten the area up; it will provide the people of Milford Haven with a better choice of goods to buy; I fully support this application.”
Business
An evening of collaboration with West Wales’ Creative Network
CALLING all musicians, photographers, filmmakers and social media managers!
Get ready for an inspiring evening of collaboration and conversation at an exciting new panel discussion and networking event, hosted by Creative Wales.
Following the success of a similar event in Cardigan, it’s now Fishguard’s turn to get creative.
The evening takes place on October 23 at Ffwrn, Fishguard, at 6.30 pm when people will have the opportunity to hear from industry experts as they share insights, trends and tips to elevate your craft and expand your reach.
You can also begin to connect with like-minded creatives, exchange ideas and explore potential collaborations with talent, baked locally.
So whether you’re a seasoned pro or just starting out, this is the chance to gain valuable knowledge and make meaningful connections in the vibrant creative community or West Wales.
A limited number of spaces are available, so don’t miss out on this super opportunity; register today via the Gorllewin Creadigol Cymru/Creative West Wales Network website.
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