A CALL to convert a Pembrokeshire town centre former bank to a nail bar has been submitted to county planners.

Huw Tuyen Nguyen, through agent Hayston Developments & Planning Ltd, seeks permission for a change of use of the former Halifax bank at Grade-II-listed 10 Victoria Place, in Haverfordwest’s conservation area, to a nail bar.

Halifax closed its Haverfordwest branch back in 2024, leaving it with no more branches in the county.

A supporting statement accompanying the nail bar application at the three-storey building said: “The previous use of the building, a bank operated by the Halifax, ceased a few years ago and remains vacant making no contribution to the vitality or viability of the town centre.

“This application seeks to put the ground floor to an alternative commercial/retail use and which together with some internal and external alterations, also seeks to convert the upper two floors into a single high-quality flat. The upper floors have largely been under-utilised in the past. As such, the proposal would make a positive contribution to the town centre.”

It cited previous Pembrokeshire County Council policy calling for a need in town centres to “take a more flexible approach to accommodating other non-retail and complementary uses ‘towards making town centres multi-functional places’.”

It went on to say of the change of use to a nail bar: “This part of the application would allow the relocation and expansion of a professional service facility to serve Haverfordwest and the surrounding areas. This forms the basis of aspirations to grow the business, both in the immediate short term, and in the future as the business continues to grow.

“The applicant has explained that the current business is a nail salon which has been trading for some 15 years but under a different management. The applicant has had the business since January 2022.

“The business hours would be 9 am to 6 pm Monday to Saturday but closed on Sundays and which would employ 2/3 people.”

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

FURTHER micro energy storage facility ‘battery box’ schemes in Pembrokeshire have been considered by county planners, with one backed and one withdrawn by the applicants.

In two separate applications to Pembrokeshire County Council, AMP Clean Energy sought permission for micro energy storage projects on land at Waterloo Industrial Estate, Eastern Avenue, Pembroke Dock, and land between Steynton Road and Sheffield Drive, Milford Haven.

A supporting statement accompanying each application says: “AMP Clean Energy is developing Battery Boxes across the UK to provide a low carbon, flexible and de-centralised store of electricity that benefits local communities, businesses, and homes.”

It says the battery boxes import electricity from the local electricity network when demand for electricity is low or when there are high levels of renewable energy available, exporting it back during periods of high demand to help address grid reliability issues prompted by an increase of intermittent (wind and solar) generation.

AMP Clean Energy says it is developing up to 1,250-plus Battery Boxes in the UK over the next three years and, to date, has received planning consent for more than 80 such schemes.

It says each box, which takes up roughly two car parking spaces, stores 800kWh of electricity, giving the potential to power 200 homes for four hours where there is a supply disruption.

The battery box schemes are part of a raft of applications in the county.

AMP was previously granted approval for schemes on land between King Street and Meyrick Street, Pembroke Dock and land in between Castle Quarry and Haven Court, Pembroke.

AMP Clean Energy was also recently granted permission for micro energy storage projects at on a verge at the Bridge Innovation Centre, Pembroke Dock, and land to the south of Withybush Road, Withybush Industrial Estate, Haverfordwest.

However, a scheme for a micro energy storage project on land at Fishguard Leisure Centre Car Park, near Ysgol Bro Gwaun was refused by the council’s planning committee late last year.

That scheme was refused, against an officer recommendation of approval, after concerns were raised including being in “an unsafe, unsustainable and unnecessary location,” and the “nightmare scenario” of a fire as children were leaving the school, with was disputed by AMP’s agent.

The latest Pembroke Dock application was conditionally approved but the Milford Haven scheme has been withdrawn.

CONSORT EQUIPMENT PRODUCTS – one of the UK’s leading manufacturers of electric heaters – has been acquired by family-owned investment firm Lifeboat Capital. The deal was backed by a seven-figure debt funding package from Frontier Development Capital (FDC) and other investors.

Consort, which is based in Milford Haven, supplies heaters to electrical wholesalers nationwide under the Consort and Claudgen brands, and manufactures own-brand products for leading suppliers. Following the acquisition, the current management team headed by Managing Director, Gareth Davies, will continue to lead the growth of the business.

The deal will enable the former Managing Director, Edward Spankie, and Materials Director, Chris Baggs, to realise their investment in the business though they will continue in a consultancy role. It will also provide additional investment to fund the growth of the business.

Established in 1966, Consort employs over 70 staff and manufactures over 250 product lines ranging from fan and panel heaters to air curtains and towel rails. The company has invested heavily in its modern 90,000 sq ft factory in Milford Haven and regularly introduces new products, with recent additions including wi-fi enabled heaters controlled by a mobile app.

The acquisition is the third to date by Lifeboat Capital, which was founded in 2019 and is the family office of the Afshar family. Lifeboat – which focuses on long-term investments in niche, high-quality UK businesses – also owns Southend-based Formara Print & Marketing and Oldham-based stockinette manufacturer Appletex.

Dr Taha Afshar, Chief Investment Officer at Lifeboat, said: “Lifeboat is committed to strengthening British manufacturing businesses and supporting the transition to a low-carbon future. With its efficient electric heating solutions and a track record for quality and innovation, Consort aligns strongly with our values and goals. The company will continue to operate as an independent business, and with the benefit of additional investment to support its long-term growth. Our vision is to be the definitive choice for sustainable, reliable and innovative electric heating.”

Graham Mold, Head of Growth Capital at Frontier Development Capital, added: “Consort has been manufacturing in Milford Haven since 1966 and is one of the best-known brands in the market. This deal will ensure a smooth transition of ownership and secure the future of the business.  With Lifeboat’s support, Consort is embarking on a new chapter on its growth journey and is positioned to go from strength to strength.”