A CALL for Pembrokeshire’s council to pursue a £1m loan to help fund the redevelopment of the ‘blight’ derelict former Wilko store in Haverfordwest as part of wider redevelopment of the county town has been backed.

A report for members of the March 16 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, recommended for approval by Leader Cllr Jon Harvey, said: “The proposed project seeks to repurpose and redevelop the former Wilko building located on [2-6] Old Bridge, Haverfordwest, a large and prominently positioned commercial unit.

“The project will enable the revitalisation of one of Haverfordwest’s most strategically positioned commercial units located immediately adjacent to the new Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange, on the main pedestrian route from the Interchange to the town centre.

“Pembrokeshire County Council, under Cabinet decision November 30, 2020, agreed the acquisition of Riverside Shopping Centre in Haverfordwest which includes the 2–6 Old Bridge and the Perrots Road Car Park.

“At the time of acquisition, the building was leased by Wilko, with this occupation ceasing when Wilko went into administration and the Haverfordwest store closed in September 2023.”

It added: “The building was in poor repair when returned from the outgoing tenant with limited ability to seek dilapidation costs as the tenant had gone into administration. The deteriorating roof and outdated internal configuration render it unsuitable for modern retail, commercial, or community use without significant investment.”

It went on to say: “The building’s current dereliction contributes to a blight at a key town access point. Funding would directly address these structural issues, unlocking the property’s potential and generating broader regeneration benefits for the town. High street anchor tenants attract significant footfall, with evidence showing that the majority of visitors subsequently engage with other shops.

“The preferred strategy is to secure such a tenant, creating a strong draw to the town centre and complementing surrounding uses. Even if a high street anchor is not achievable, there is credible interest in alternative commercial or community uses.”

It said an initial scoping stage “has identified a budget of circa £1.6m to undertake the required redevelopment works,” adding that the empty unit is currently costing the authority £125,000 a year annum in Business Rates, insurance and maintenance, along with a lost rental income of £150,000.

It said the council’s approved capital programme currently has £656,000 for the Riverside Phase 1/Eastern Quayside, and it was proposed that these funds are utilised, alongside an additional £1m funding source for 2-6 Old Bridge.

Cabinet Member for Young Persons, Community, Wellbeing and Future Generations Cllr Marc Tierney said: “The regeneration case on this particular property is really strong; if we don’t do anything the risk is we’re just holding on to another vacant property in Haverfordwest.”

Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman said the proposal was part of “a bigger picture” of regeneration in the town, with Cabinet member for finance Cllr Alistair Cameron pointing out the loan, if approved, would be “interest-free” to the council.

Council Leader Cllr Jon Harvey (Image: Pembropkeshire County Council webcast)

Cllr Harvey said: “I think we just have to do this, if we don’t we won’t get a major retailer in; this will really increase the retail offer in Haverfordwest , we’re spending a lot of money in Haverfordwest – grant-aided – and the town centre is in quite a reasonable situation.

“It’s really positive; in two-to-three-to-five years Haverfordwest will be a more vibrant place than it is today.”

Members backed a recommendation to submit a call for £1m from Town Centre Loan funding for the works, adding that to the current capital programme allocation, totalling £1.656m.

If the funding call is not successful, a future Cabinet meeting will hear alternative recommendations.

A PEMBROKESHIRE heating oil supplier has been praised by a local customer after choosing to honour its original prices despite a sharp rise in fuel costs.

Sarah Maling contacted The Herald after receiving a delivery from J E Lawrence & Son Ltd, saying the company had prioritised fairness to customers during a period of intense demand.

The customer had ordered around 800 litres of heating oil on March 2 after her tank began running low. However, due to extremely high demand, the company was unable to deliver until Friday (Mar 13). Despite heating oil prices increasing rapidly since the order was placed, the firm honoured the original quoted price and delivered 500 litres instead, ensuring more households could receive some oil.

Sarah said the delivery driver arrived at her home at around 11:30am after already completing 27 deliveries that day.

She said: “Prices have gone insane since I ordered yet they stuck with the quoted price and delivered 500 litres and explained why in the letter.

“This is putting the customer before profit and making sure everyone who needs oil will hopefully get oil at a more affordable price.

“I just wanted it acknowledged that not all delivery companies are out to make a profit but care about their customers – the people of Pembrokeshire.”

The letter included with the delivery explained that distributors across the sector had cancelled existing orders as prices surged last week.

However, the company said it had chosen not to cancel earlier orders and instead decided to limit deliveries so that more customers would receive some fuel.

The letter stated: “We have experienced huge volumes of orders and deliveries are now taking two to three weeks.

“Most distributors cancelled existing orders when prices increased rapidly last week, and those customers had to go to the back of a very long queue with another supplier.

“We have chosen not to do that and your original price has been honoured.”

The company added that limiting deliveries was the only way to ensure all customers could receive oil during the current supply pressures.

It apologised for the inconvenience caused but said the situation was being driven by “a very uncertain climate which is outside our control”.

LEGAL action against a landowner, who repeatedly failed to comply with an enforcement notice served back in 2023, has been backed by Pembrokeshire’s national park.

Members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s March development management committee meeting were asked to back delegated authority for prosecution proceedings in the magistrates’ court for failure to comply with steps required to be taken by an enforcement notice on land to the south of Parc Yr Eglwys, Brynhenllan, Dinas Cross.

A report for the committee said that, in May 2023, the park received a complaint that a green field in the open countryside had been stripped of its vegetation and turned into a mobile home park by the new landowners.

Following a site inspection, a planning contravention notice was served in relation to the removal of hedgebanks/hedgerows, widening of the existing access, alterations to ground levels, construction of a track and the siting of a storage container.

After that, a 2024 retrospective planning application was received by the park seeking retention of the hardstanding area, siting of storage container and additional landscape works, which was refused that May.

“As no voluntary steps were taken to remedy the breach of planning control and no appeal made against the refusal of planning permission, the Authority considered it expedient to issue and serve an Enforcement Notice as the development and use of the land resulted in an unnecessary incursion into the rural countryside which causes a significant visual intrusion to the detriment of the special qualities of the National Park,” the report said.

An enforcement notice was service in January 2025, but, the following month, the landowner lodged an appeal with Planning & Environment Decisions Wales, which was dismissed that June; the enforcement notice taking effect.

A further application, seeking permission for a small-scale seasonal campsite on the land was received in June 2025, subsequently refused that October; officers confirming to the landowner the enforcement notice remained in effect, running through to January 3 of this year.

A site inspection undertaken by officers on January 6 confirmed the breach of planning control continued, the report added.

This was followed by a further planning application seeking to regularise the development on January 21.

That application was refused on March 9.

The report concluded: “The landowner has had multiple opportunities to regularise the development through both retrospective applications and an appeal against the enforcement notice. Those processes have not resulted in permission being granted nor compliance being achieved.

“The continued failure to comply with the enforcement notice undermines the integrity of the planning system and public confidence in its proper operation.

“It also results in an unnecessary incursion into the rural countryside which causes a significant visual intrusion to the detriment of the special qualities of the National Park.

“Officers therefore consider it expedient and in the public interest to pursue prosecution proceedings should the breach remain unresolved.”

Members backed the recommendation.