National Park Authority celebrates RTPI Cymru success for major coastal redevelopment

PEMBROKESHIRE COAST NATIONAL PARK AUTHORITY is celebrating after the Saundersfoot Harbour Redevelopment Project was named Best Project at the RTPI Cymru Awards for Planning Excellence 2026.

The award recognises Phase 2 of the harbour regeneration scheme, which has helped transform Saundersfoot Harbour into a resilient, year-round destination with new commercial, community and visitor facilities.

Delivered by Saundersfoot Harbour with planning input from the National Park Authority, the project supports local businesses, public access, events and wider regeneration in the village.

Judges described the scheme as “an exemplar for coastal economic resilience in smaller settlements” and “a very good example of planning enabling place-based regeneration.”

They highlighted the project’s economic and community benefits, including investment, job creation, new business space, major events, year-round activity, improved public access and the reuse of brownfield and heritage assets.

The judges also praised the role of planners in dealing with design changes, conservation area issues, flood risk, accessibility and the coordination of several linked schemes within a working harbour.

Sara Morris, Director of Place and Engagement at Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, said: “We are delighted that Phase 2 of the Saundersfoot Harbour Redevelopment Project has been recognised by RTPI Cymru.

“This award is a real testament to the value of good planning in helping places adapt, thrive and deliver lasting benefits for their communities.

“Saundersfoot Harbour is a hugely important location, both locally and strategically, and this project shows how careful planning can support regeneration while respecting the character, heritage and environmental challenges of a coastal setting.

“I would particularly like to thank Andrew Richards and Nicola Gandy, who both led on the planning aspects of the project for the Authority.

“The judges’ comments underline the strength of the partnership approach behind the project, and we are very pleased to see the work of our planning team recognised alongside Saundersfoot Harbour’s ambition and commitment.

“The final delivered scheme is a result of significant work from the Harbour, local businesses and the community, who have transformed Saundersfoot’s offer.”

Ted Sangster, Chairman of Saundersfoot Harbour Commission, said the award reflected the strength of the partnership behind the redevelopment.

He said: “Saundersfoot Harbour congratulates Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority on this award.

“As a trust port we operate very much as a commercial business but with no shareholders, and therefore no dividends to pay. Our strategy is to provide real, long-term benefit for our community and all users of the harbour.

“The successful Phase 2 of the harbour development now provides both an active fishing and recreational sailing harbour and an all-year-round visitor attraction, serving an increasingly diverse range of users.

“It has created around 100 new jobs so far. Our work with local businesses and stakeholders has been greatly assisted and supported by the open and consultative partnership with the Park Authority, which is based on the shared aim of sustainable economic delivery and social benefit to our community.”

As winner of the Best Project category in Wales, the Saundersfoot Harbour scheme will now be automatically entered as a finalist in the UK National Awards for Planning Excellence.

The national finalists are due to be formally announced by the RTPI on October 7, ahead of the UK finals on December 3.

The Authority also welcomed further success after the Dark Skies Guidance for Wales, developed by a working group from across Wales including Principal Planning Officer Gayle Lister, won the Chair’s Award at the RTPI Cymru Awards for Planning Excellence 2026.

Sara Morris added: “It is particularly pleasing to see the Dark Skies Guidance for Wales recognised alongside the Saundersfoot Harbour project.

“Protecting dark skies is an important part of caring for the special qualities of Wales’ landscapes, and this guidance reflects the value of collaboration across planning, conservation and environmental disciplines.”

The RTPI Cymru Awards for Planning Excellence celebrate outstanding plans, projects and people that demonstrate the power of planning to make a positive difference to places and communities.

Caption: Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Saundersfoot Harbour Commission are celebrating a major planning award for the Saundersfoot Harbour redevelopment project.

A youth-led project that began as a small discussion group for girls at Ysgol Greenhill has grown into an award-winning movement reaching across Pembrokeshire and beyond.

Supported by Pembrokeshire Youth Service and Senior Youth Worker Leah Walker, We Know Our Journey has spent the past four years empowering young people to become leaders, educators and advocates for positive change.

The countywide initiative now brings together girls and boys to promote healthy relationships, positive masculinity, mental health awareness, emotional wellbeing, and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

Young people involved in the project have led workshops, developed resources, raised more than £3,000 for local charities, represented Pembrokeshire at national and international events, and worked with a range of partners to create lasting change in their communities.

The project has also built strong working relationships with a number of organisations in Wales, including the Welsh Government’s Sound campaign.

Following a Taith exchange trip to New Zealand involving We Know Our Journey and Her Voice, a Vale of Glamorgan youth project, a new community interest company, Our Voice Our Journey, was created to continue and expand the work.

The group has also worked with the global movement She Is Not Your Rehab, which members hope to welcome back to Pembrokeshire this September.

Among its achievements, We Know Our Journey has helped develop a bilingual Sexual Harassment Toolkit with Her Voice for use across Wales, launched positive masculinity campaigns, and delivered emotional wellbeing projects that have reached schools and communities across the county.

The project’s work has been recognised with a Highly Commended Safer Wales Award and a Pembrokeshire Spotlight Award.

Earlier this year, Leah was invited to St James’s Palace for a special event celebrating local government workers and their work around violence against women and girls, domestic abuse and sexual violence.

Leah said: “What started as a small group of determined young people has become a powerful example of what can be achieved when young people are trusted to lead.

“As We Know Our Journey continues to grow, its mission remains clear: to educate, empower and inspire lasting change.

“I am incredibly proud of our young people and what they have achieved.”

A SCAFFOLDER has been banned from driving for 14 months after an off-duty police officer smelt cannabis coming from his Volkswagen Transporter as it travelled through Slebech.

The report was made to police at around 10.30am on February 15. When officers located the vehicle, they discovered it was being driven by 46-year-old Christopher Bennett.

Further blood tests showed Bennett had 16.8 mcg of Delta-9 tetrahydrocannabinol in his system. The legal limit is 2.

This week Bennett, of Queensdown Gardens, Brislington, Bristol, pleaded guilty to drug-driving when he appeared before Haverfordwest magistrates. He was represented in court by Alaw Harries.

“The defendant is remorseful for his actions and recognises the seriousness of the offence,” Ms Harries told the Bench.

“He suffers significant pain following operations to his shoulders and has been prescribed codeine. But this causes drowsiness, so he began self-medicating using cannabis.

“On the day of the offence, he was in worse pain than usual, so he used cannabis earlier than he normally does.”

Ms Harries said the conviction would have serious financial consequences for Bennett, who works as a self-employed scaffolder.

“His driving licence is fundamental to his livelihood,” she said.

“The financial consequences are going to be significant to him, as well as to those who are dependent on him.”

Magistrates fined Bennett £600 and ordered him to pay a £240 surcharge and £85 costs.

He was disqualified from driving for 14 months.