PLANS for what could have been the third store in the country for Welsh cheesecake business The Cheesecake Guy Ltd at Saundersfoot’s Coal Building interpretation centre have been withdrawn.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Craig Taylor of Merthyr Tydfil-based The Cheesecake Guy Ltd sought a change of use of part of Saundersfoot’s Cambrian Terrace Coal Building interpretation centre to create a small retail unit.

On its website, The Cheesecake Guy says of its business and products: “Established in 2019, The Cheesecake Guy is all about delivering indulgent, handcrafted cheesecake desserts with a twist. While we offer a range of sweet treats, our specialty — and customer favourite — is the signature cheesecake jar.

“Made with quality ingredients and packed with rich, creamy layers, our jars are the perfect dessert for any occasion. Whether you’re treating yourself or sharing with others, The Cheesecake Guy brings a spoonful of happiness to every bite.”

While no supporting statement was published for the Saundersfoot proposal, the application said the scheme, if approved, would employ two full-time members of staff, operating 10am-6pm Mon-Sat, and 10-5 on Sundays and bank holidays.

Of the scheme itself it said it would involve “retail sales of pre-prepared desserts and merchandise,” adding there will be “no on-site manufacturing or heavy processing,” with “equipment limited to display fridges and freezers”.

If approved, the Saundersfoot site would have been the third outlet for The Cheesecake Guy, with sites in Merthyr, and, more recently, Newport Market.

For its Newport site, The Cheesecake Guy says: “We specialise in creating a wide variety of cheesecake desserts that cater to all tastes. Our menu features popular favourites that have won the hearts of many, alongside exciting new creations designed to keep your taste buds satisfied.

“Whether you’re a classic cheesecake lover or an adventurous foodie, we promise a cheesecake experience like no other. Each cheesecake is made with the utmost care, ensuring a rich, creamy texture and a burst of flavour in every slice (or jar!).”

Since the application was submitted, Saundersfoot Community Council objected “on the basis that the harbour is diluting the original intention of this area, which was designed to be an educational section of the development”.

The application is now, as of June 19, marked as withdrawn.

AN AMENDED scheme for a children’s care home on the edge of Fishguard has been approved after a previous call was refused.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Martin Leahy of Ty Caredig Ltd sought a certificate of lawfulness permission for the use of a dwellinghouse to a residential care home for up to two children at Bryn Delyn, Y Fraich, Fishguard.

Last November, a similar call to allow Bryn Delyn to be used as a children’s home, which raised fears from local objectors the scheme was being ‘rubber stamped’ by the council, was refused.

In that application to the council, Cardiff-based Ty Caredig Ltd sought permission for a Certificate of Lawfulness on the basis the use was not materially different from the property’s existing lawful use.

Residents had accused the council of “pushing through a highly controversial children’s home application behind closed doors”.

A supporting statement for that scheme, with many redacted parts, said the four-bed property had a lawful use as a dwelling house; saying the use as a care home did not require planning permission through a change of use.

However, planners said the use of the dwelling as a care home “would represent a material change of use requiring the benefit of planning permission”.

Since then, amendment to the scheme, for a lawful change of use was submitted, a supporting statement saying Ty Caredig Ltd operates homes throughout Wales that provide specialist care for children, the latest scheme “seeks formal confirmation that the proposed use of Bryn Delyn as a children’s care home for up to two children (plus care staff) would not require planning permission”.

Fishguard Town Council objected, on the grounds of highway safety and parking issues.

It also raised points of “apparent discrepancies between the planning application and the information available on the website,” but stressed it did support provision of suitable accommodation for vulnerable young people and children “with the correct infrastructure in place”.

Local county councillor Cllr Par Davies has said the scheme has her “full support,” as did the certificate call, adding: “Rumours abound regarding this application with objections concerning the usage of the property as a care home for young people. The application states that only two young people would be cared for in the property.

“This type of property is needed as we often talk as councillors for the need for Pembrokeshire children in care to remain in Pembrokeshire instead of the alternative of moving them to other areas in the country and this application fulfils that need.”

The application was approved by planners, the approval stating “Based on the information submitted and on the balance of probability it is considered that the use of the property as a residential care home for up to two children would not result in a material change of use from the lawful use of the property as a dwellinghouse and as a result a certificate of lawfulness for a proposed use should be granted.”

A CALL to keep the use of a first floor of a rural Pembrokeshire pub which has been used as a dwelling for decades has been submitted to county planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council Gareth Evans has applied for a certificate of lawful development at The Old Inn, Crow Hill to Folly, Camrose, near Haverfordwest to confirm an existing use of the first floor of Ye Olde Inn as a self-contained residential dwelling.

An application for a certificate of lawfulness allows an applicant to keep a development if they can provide proof of occupancy over a prolonged period.

In his application, Mr Evans says the first floor of the Old Inn has “operated as a self-contained residential flat for many decades, with its own independent external access via external stairs, separate kitchen, bathroom, living accommodation and bedrooms,” adding: “The use is long-established, has been supported by multiple planning permissions, and has been formally recognised through separate council tax assessment for a significant period.”

He adds: “On the balance of probabilities, the combination of historic planning permissions expressly authorising extensions to living accommodation, together with Valuation Office Agency and council tax records, demonstrates that the first floor has been in continuous use as a self-contained dwelling for well in excess of four decades.”

A supporting statement says historic planning permissions at Ye Old Inn were granted, in 1975, for alterations and extensions which included first-floor residential accommodation including bedrooms; a 1978 application for “extensions to living accommodation and provision of bottle store,” a further 1979 permission, and a 1992 application for “extension to dwelling and public house” which the applicant says “expressly include extension to the dwelling (residential element), with detailed first-floor residential layouts shown”.

It goes on to say: “The applicant purchased the property in January 2023 and therefore does not possess all historic ownership records. Accordingly, reliance is placed upon the council’s own archive records, together with VOA and rating records, as independent evidence of the long-established residential use.

“These permissions demonstrate that the residential use of the first floor has been formally recognised and extended through the planning system over many decades. The use has therefore been lawful for well in excess of 10 years.”

It says the flat had its own council tax band from April 2005 until it was formally deleted with effect from January 2023 following a VOA agreement after fire safety modernisation works were carried out to bring the property into compliance with current regulations.

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