PLANS to extend a house in a Pembrokeshire seaside village, which has an associated café which has caused local concerns about noise and disturbance, have been given the go-ahead.

In an application recommended for approval at the June meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee, Amber Maytum, through agent Sureline Design Services Ltd, sought permission for the rebuilding of a ground floor rear extension, the construction of pergola, and associated works at Manorbier House, Manorbier.

The application was for committee decision as local community council Manorbier objected to the application, contrary to an officer recommendation for approval, saying: “It is considered to be a large development on a site that is too small to accommodate such and that proposed alterations are not within the keeping of the community.”

Local residents and nearby business had also raised concerns including it could intensify existing usage for evening and late events at Manorbier House Café, “which have been associated with noise and disturbance, particularly following late finishes to music events,” as well as raising concerns of an impact on residential and visual amenity, increased parking pressures cited as an ongoing concern with the existing café use, and the potential to detract from tourism to Manorbier saying the use of venue “had an impact on the village’s reputation as a peaceful destination with heritage value”.

An officer report said Manorbier House, formerly the Beach Break Café and Chives Tearoom, has been the subject of a number of previous applications, including a 2012 scheme which consented the use of an approved patio as a permanent seasonal tearoom area following a previous two-year temporary approval.

The report said it appeared conditions on that approval, in activities described by local residents and businesses, had been breached which “will be followed up by the Enforcement Section but is a separate matter to this application”.

Of the current scheme, it said amendments removing previously proposed rear dormers and an external fire escape had been submitted, and the amended scheme “would not in and of themselves lead to an intensification in use of the site or be of an overall scale which would be disproportionate to the scale and character of the centre”.

Speaking at the meeting agent Micheal Howlett said the scheme was aimed at “modest improvements” to the building and was “not an application for a change of use or an extension of hours or more events”.

He later said noise concerns would be addressed through a noise management programme; applicant Amber Maytum saying Manorbier House was “predominantly a family home,” and discussions were taking place with licensing officers.

Members unanimously backed the recommendation of approval.

TATA STEEL has confirmed that work is underway to assess the damage caused by Wednesday night’s fire at its Port Talbot steelworks.

The company said the incident happened at the Pickle Line on Wednesday evening, prompting the temporary shutdown of the Hot Strip Mill.

In an operational update issued at 2:30pm on Friday (Jun 5), Tata Steel said teams were now working towards a planned restart of the Hot Strip Mill in the middle of next week.

The fire led to a major emergency response at the Port Talbot site, with emergency services called to the steelworks at around 8:00pm on Wednesday.

Earlier statements from the company confirmed that all personnel were accounted for and evacuated safely.

Tata Steel has also said the fire was not connected to the planned demolition of a redundant gas holder carried out at the site earlier the same evening.

The company said supply chain teams were now putting mitigation plans in place, including alternative processing at the Llanwern Cold Mill and Pickle Line.

Those measures are aimed at maintaining continuity of supply and supporting customers while the affected area is assessed.

In its latest update, Tata Steel said: “Following the incident at the Pickle Line on Wednesday evening, work is now underway to carry out a full assessment of the area affected.

“During the incident, the Hot Strip Mill was temporarily taken offline. Teams are working towards a planned restart in the middle of next week.

“Our Supply Chain teams are actively implementing mitigation plans, including alternative processing at the Llanwern Cold Mill and Pickle Line.

“These actions are focused on maintaining continuity of supply and supporting our customers during this period.

“Our priority remains the safety of our people and the safe, stable operation of our assets. We will continue to provide updates as further information becomes available.

“We would like to thank our employees and the emergency services for their swift and professional response.”

Sharon Graham, from the union Unite, said the blaze has caused “substantial damage to a vital production line”.

“Measures must now be put in place to protect jobs both at Tata and down the supply chain during any period of disruption,” she explained. 

“Meanwhile we are asking Tata and the government to ensure that operations are rebuilt as swiftly as possible.”

She thanked the emergency services for bringing the fire under control so quickly and confirmed that no-one was injured.

The cause of the fire has not yet been confirmed.

A CALL to sell alcohol from a coffee shop at a Pembrokeshire railway station, which recently a mass violence incident which led to 11 arrests and several people being taken to hospital, has been given the go-ahead.

At the June 4 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s licensing sub-committee, members were asked to consider the granting of a new premises licence for Lisheens Coffee Pod, Tenby Station, which included the sale of alcohol off-site from 11am to 10pm, seven days a week.

Emergency services were called to the station at around 9.50pm on Tuesday, April 7, following reports of disorder involving a group of people.

During the incident, one individual was reported to be carrying a knife. Four teenagers, aged 13 to 17 were injured and taken to hospital.

A total of 11 arrests for offences including grievous bodily harm and violent disorder were made. All of those arrested were aged between 13 and 19 years old and all local to the Tenby and Pembroke Dock area, police have previously said.

While the incident was unconnected to the licensing application, it was raised in objections to the scheme.

A report for members of the committee said two objections to the application by Mrs Nicola Nolan were received, from The British Transport Police, as a responsible authority, and another from a lease of the railway building, which said: “It encourages group gatherings, encouraging vandalism, and violence such at stabbings by group gatherings as of April 7.”

Jessica Jones, Designing Out Crime Officer for British Transport Police, who later spoke at the meeting had raised concerns “based on crime data, operational policing considerations, lone-working risks, public safety concerns, and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) risks”.

Her report said, over the past two years, there had been 12 incidents of violence, three serious public order offences, and one motor vehicle crime incident, the majority between 9pm and 11pm, a timeframe overlapping the proposed hours of alcohol sales, raising concern that alcohol availability “may further exacerbate existing issues of violence and disorder”.

That report added there were many outlets in Tenby town centre selling alcohol, questioning the need for a further facility at the station, and there was “significant concern regarding the risk to a lone worker having to refuse alcohol sales to intoxicated individuals or manage customers who refuse to leave”.

It went on to say that, while British Transport Police already deploy dedicated policing operations throughout the six-week summer holiday period to manage increased passenger numbers and deter crime, “introducing another alcohol sales point during these peak periods may heighten existing risks”.

Jessica Jones later told committee members introducing the scheme in Tenby would mean it was the only such offer at an unmanned station in Wales.

Speaking at the meeting, Barry Nolan, husband of the applicant, said it was hoped to supplement the ‘coffee pod’ with “genteel” and “trendy alcoholic products” such as wine, “really cool craft beer,” and Barti Ddu rum in cans for consumption elsewhere rather than “pints of lager and triple vodkas”.

He said the facility wouldn’t lead to youths congregating due to the products being at the more premium price end; also offering security if needed.

He later offered a reduction in alcohol serving hours to 8.30pm, with committee chair Cllr Tim Evans mooting an 8pm finish.

After retiring to deliberate, members agreed to the granting of the licensing, subject to an 8pm cut-off, wishing the applicants well in their business.