A FORMER Haverfordwest courthouse described as one of the finest buildings of its type in Wales is set to be transformed into a theatre after county planners gave the scheme the go-ahead.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee approved an application by Mr N Heywood for a change of use of part of Shire Hall, High Street, Haverfordwest, at its June meeting.

The Grade-II*-listed building was built in 1835 to the design of local architect William Owen. Cadw has described it as one of the finest buildings of its type in Wales.

The courtroom has also played an important role in the county’s legal history. According to Haverfordwest Civic Society, it hosted a number of major trials, including cases involving the Rebecca Rioters between 1840 and 1844.

The law courts later moved to Hawthorn Rise, Haverfordwest, and Pembrokeshire County Council subsequently granted a developer a 999-year lease on the building at a peppercorn rent.

Shire Hall housed restaurants on its upper floors in the early 2000s, with the last believed to have closed around 2010.

Cultural destination

The application says the theatre would “bring the vacant building back into a meaningful use,” helping to preserve the Grade-II*-listed building and support the regeneration of Haverfordwest town centre.

There would be no external changes to Shire Hall, although internal works are proposed. A separate listed building consent application has also been submitted.

The applicant’s agent, Ian Bartlett Planning and Architectural Services, confirmed the theatre would operate between 10:00am and 11:00pm.

Haverfordwest Town Council supported the scheme in principle but asked for the application to be considered by the planning committee, citing concerns about the lack of detail in the initial plans and the potential impact on the historic building.

Haverfordwest Civic Society raised similar concerns, saying members were “anxious that any new use should respect and conserve the integrity of the historic courtroom interior,” which remains substantially intact, including the judges’ bench, dock, witness box, public benches and associated fittings.

Historic use

An officer report recommending approval said the building’s former use as a courtroom meant it had historically been used for public assembly.

It stated: “The proposed use as a theatre would remain broadly compatible with the historic function of the courtroom as a place used for public congregation.

“The proposed use as a theatre would introduce audience-based occupation and periods of intensified use, however, this is not considered inherently dissimilar to the building’s historic use, with any internal alterations subject to the listed building consent application which is currently under consideration.

“In addition, bringing the building into use is likely to contribute positively to the preservation and maintenance of the historic building.”

At the meeting, Drew Baker, speaking as the end user of the theatre scheme, said the proposals would bring “one of the finest public buildings of its type in Wales” back “into meaningful use”.

He said the scheme represented an “investment in the cultural economy of Haverfordwest” and would create a “genuine cultural destination” in the town centre.

Members were told the related listed building consent application would deal with proposed interior changes, with the wider plans including a theatre, pizza restaurant and bar.

The application was approved by eleven votes to two. The listed building consent application is still being considered by planners.

A RUMOUR that National Express coaches may struggle to use Haverfordwest’s new transport interchange has been denied by Pembrokeshire County Council — although the coach operator has stopped short of confirming it will definitely use the facility when it opens.

The Herald asked the council whether the new interchange, currently under construction in Haverfordwest, had sufficient height clearance for full-size long-distance coaches.

Concerns had been raised locally after published images of the scheme appeared to show a relatively low covered bus area.

Pembrokeshire County Council said the new facility had been designed to accommodate the National Express service operating within the county.

A council spokesperson said: “Pembrokeshire County Council can confirm that the new Haverfordwest Transport Interchange has been designed to accommodate the National Express service operating within Pembrokeshire.

“The facility has been constructed in line with the operational requirements identified for the local National Express route, including appropriate bay design and clearance to enable safe access for those vehicles.

“The new interchange will provide a modern, high-quality transport hub for Pembrokeshire, improving passenger experience and connectivity across the county and beyond.”

The council confirmed that the interchange bus area has a minimum clearance height of 4.1m, with an entry height of 4.280m.

However, it also said the bus area had been developed “primarily for local service buses” and that the overall build height limits some access due to planning requirements.

The facility will be signed with an access limit of 4.0m.

Asked whether National Express services would use the new interchange once operational, the council said operators would have to complete their own risk assessments to ensure both they and PCC were satisfied that services could operate safely within the interchange.

PCC also confirmed that a swept-path analysis and height assessment had been undertaken.

National Express has also responded to The Herald, but its statement leaves final use of the interchange dependent on risk assessments.

A spokesperson for National Express said: “Subject to satisfactory risk assessments, it would be our intention to use the new Haverfordwest Transport Interchange. We are continuing to engage with relevant stakeholders regarding the operational arrangements.”

The response means that while the council insists the new facility has been designed for the local National Express route, the operator has not yet given an unconditional confirmation that its coaches will use the interchange when it opens.

The new Haverfordwest Transport Interchange is intended to provide a modern hub for bus and coach services in the county town.

A CALL for a hydroelectric scheme to help power Pembrokeshire’s County Hall is to be considered as part of a wider decarbonisation report expected later this year.

At the June meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members considered a notice of motion from Merlins Bridge councillor John Cole, who said two potential sources of clean energy were close to County Hall.

Cllr Cole said: “Two untapped power sources, that would create 100 per cent clean energy are within very close proximity of County Hall.

“Both sources would substantially compensate County Hall’s current use of power supplied via the grid. These sources are the western Cleddau and Cartlett Brook. The first running alongside, and the other under County Hall.

“My Notice of Motion is that the council look at the feasibility of the installation of hydroelectric turbines at these sources.”

He said the proposal would support the council’s net zero policy by offsetting CO2 production and reducing County Hall’s running costs.

In a supporting statement, Cllr Cole said the scheme could provide “a major green energy project” while also protecting taxpayers from reliance on energy supplied by third-party providers.

A report to Cabinet said County Hall used 167,000 kWh of electricity in the 2025-26 financial year. The site already has a 77kWp solar canopy in the car park, generating around 65,000 kWh a year, with more than 90 per cent of that power used on site. The solar canopy is estimated to save around £13,000 a year.

The report said hydropower schemes had been considered previously, with members referring to a similar call from former councillor Ken Rowlands around two decades ago.

A 2010 study by Mann Power Consulting Ltd looked at hydropower systems that could be used at the County Hall site. It concluded that a 55kW Archimedes screw system would be the most appropriate option and could generate around 198,000 kWh, based on a 43 per cent capacity factor, at an indicative 2010 cost of around £450,000.

The report also referred to the council’s 2019 climate emergency declaration, when members voted to create an action plan to move Pembrokeshire County Council towards becoming a net zero-carbon local authority by 2030.

Cabinet members were told that a review and report on decarbonisation steps, including hydropower feasibility, is expected by the end of the year.

Members agreed to note the motion and await the wider report.

The Cabinet report stated: “Once a more detailed analysis of the Laser report has taken place a more informed, prioritised list of proposed decarbonisation measures will be presented.

“As part of that process a further review will be considered into the benefits of adopting hydroelectric turbines at the site.”