News
Marine partners warmly welcome £60m deal for Pembrokeshire
LAST week’s Swansea Bay City Deal announcement is welcomed by Pembroke Dock Marine’s partners, the Port of Milford Haven, Marine Energy Wales, ORE Catapult, and Wave Hub Limited, and is also supported by Pembrokeshire County Council. It secures £60m for Pembrokeshire with £28m from Swansea Bay City Deal and the remainder part-funded by the European Regional Development Fund through the Welsh Government and private sector investment.
The funding will be used to establish a world-class marine energy and engineering centre of excellence for the design, test, build and deployment of marine energy devices, as well as having application across other blue and green industries. From its home on the Milford Haven Waterway, Pembroke Dock Marine will bring together access to energy source, a high-skill supply chain and a new array of services and spaces that will help developers drive down the cost of marine sourced energy through maximised innovation and operational efficiency.
The four partners will each deliver a different project element. The Port of Milford Haven will deliver modernised port facilities to support the industrial growth. ORE Catapult will deliver a Marine Energy and Engineering Centre of Excellence (MEECE) to drive research and innovation, Marine Energy Wales will create pre-consented Marine Energy Test Areas (META) within the Waterway for testing component and scale devices, and Wave Hub Ltd will deliver the Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone (PDZ) a consented and grid connected offshore test site.
Pembroke Dock Marine’s immediate focus will be to support the growth of the floating wind, wave and tidal technologies exploring opportunities off the Welsh coastline. With net zero targets in sight and the potential to drive a new export industry, Pembroke Dock Marine will add value to the UK economic and environmental goals. It will position the region to capture a significant share of this global market.
Jess Hooper, Marine Energy Programme Manager for Marine Energy Wales, said “META is well on its way to becoming Wales’ national test centre and will ultimately consist of a series of eight pre-consented, non-grid connected test areas in the Milford Haven Waterway. With Phase 1 test areas already providing a haven for marine energy, META enables marine renewable energy device developers to deploy, de-risk and develop from their components to their devices in a relatively sheltered yet still representative ocean environment. As part of the broader PDM project, META looks forward to contributing to the blue economy opportunities this exciting project brings to Pembrokeshire and the continued development of Pembrokeshire as a world class centre for marine energy.”
Dr Stephen Wyatt, Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult’s Research & Innovation Director, said “This approval is extremely welcome, enabling us to go full steam ahead with the work of our Marine Energy Engineering Centre of Excellence and establish our longer term presence in the region. We are now formally engaging with our academic partners – the universities of Swansea, Cardiff, Bangor and Cardiff Metropolitan. The breadth and depth of their research activity perfectly complements the industrial sector expertise and market knowledge of ORE Catapult. Working with Welsh innovators and supply chain companies, MEECE will demonstrate and validate new products, technologies and processes in marine energy, providing ongoing innovation support to reduce costs and risks as these products mature towards commercialisation, something which, drawing on the Catapult’s existing
expertise and those of our partners, MEECE is well-placed to provide.”
Steve Jermy, Executive Chair of Wave Hub Ltd said “This is a significant milestone in the
Pembrokeshire Demonstration Zone project, which will catalyse the establishment of a Welsh centre for low carbon, offshore, energy production. We are excited to be working with our partners to develop strategically enabling infrastructure to accelerate the development of Welsh offshore renewable energy, to support future energy generating technologies and generate green electricity from the sea. Moving forward, we are very much looking forward to welcoming new staff, based in Pembroke Dock, into the Wave Hub project development team.”
Andy Jones, Chief Executive at the Port of Milford Haven, said “This is a landmark decision for Pembrokeshire, made possible by the Swansea Bay City Region and the European Regional Development Fund. Alongside a significant investment by the Port, the Swansea Bay City Deal will support the modernisation of our port infrastructure to ensure developers can operate with maximum efficiency allowing them to drive down the cost of energy and help reach net zero targets.
We also recognise the value to other industries and the role this project will play in encouraging further collaborations and innovations within the region. We see this as a significant step forward and we look forward to working with developers as they explore the benefits of this new base. And, in turn, we welcome the positive impact this new and exciting industry will have on Pembrokeshire’s economy and employment opportunities.”
Cllr David Simpson, Leader of Pembrokeshire Council, said: “The impact of Covid-19 has further heightened the importance of Pembroke Dock Marine, so the project’s approval is very welcome news for Pembrokeshire’s residents and businesses. Worth £73.5 million a year, Pembroke Dock Marine will also make our economy more resilient in future by transforming Pembrokeshire and the City Region as a whole into a global example of best practice for zero carbon, marine energy innovation. This project will place Pembrokeshire and the City Region at the heart of a growing global industry, helping further raise the region’s profile as a place to do business and invest in.”
News
New 45-metre wind turbine set to be built near Fishguard
A CALL to replace a Pembrokeshire community wind turbine which has raised more than £76,000 for local groups with a larger one has been backed despite a recommendation to refuse.
In an application before Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee meeting of January 14, Abergwaun Community Turbine Ltd, through agent Machynlleth-based Dulas Ltd sought permission for a larger turbine to replace the existing Abergwaun Community Turbine.
The proposed turbine, in a pasture field at Trebover Farm, to the south of Fishguard, would be 67m tall, the existing 2015 one being 45 metres.
In supporting statements, parent company Transition Bro Gwaun said: “The Community Climate Fund (CCF) is the mechanism by which Transition Bro Gwaun (TBG) is fulfilling our ambition of funding projects in Fishguard, Goodwick and across North Pembrokeshire, using income from the community wind turbine.
“The core themes for grants are climate change mitigation and adaptation, enhancement of biodiversity and improvements to community resilience through promotion of community engagement and resource sharing.”
Profit generated by sale of electricity from the turbine is split 50:50 between TBG and Parcy-Morfa Farms Ltd through the jointly-owned trading arm, Abergwaun Community Turbine, with community grants awarded through TBG’s Community Climate Fund, amounting to £76,036 to date.
2024 awards of £20,917 were made to six projects, including Theatr Gwaun, Parc Cerrig Growers, Caerhys Organic Community Agriculture, and Nevern Valley Veg.
The scheme was recommended for refusal on the grounds including “significant detrimental visual impact” on the area, “including areas of high sensitivity in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park and in Fishguard,” on the Conservation Areas of Goodwick, Fishguard and Lower Town, Fishguard.
At the January meeting, local member Cllr Jordan Ryan made a call for the scheme to be approved against officer recommendations: “I think it’s a good application, I think it’s good for Pembrokeshire; a single wind turbine isn’t going to affect people in the area too greatly.”
He was backed by Cllr Alistair Cameron, who said he supported the scheme due to “the need to tackle climate change and the economic benefit to the area,” adding: “We have to accept some visual consequences from that, that’s the reality we are in.”
Another in support was Cllr John T Davies, himself the owner of a windfarm scheme, who pointed out the existing turbine was granted on appeal, with any refusal of the latest scheme potentially being overturned by a planning inspector.
The committee’s unanimous backing of the proposal takes the form of a ‘minded to’ support, meaning the proposal will return after a ‘cooling-off’ period to a future meeting as it is against an officer recommendation, and, if supported a second time, will ultimately have to be decided by full council at a later date.
News
Landslides close section of Pembrokeshire coastal path once again
A SECTION of a south Pembrokeshire beach-side coastal path has been closed once again after a number of landslips in the last week.
The fall happened towards the western end of the Wisemans Bridge to Coppet Hall cycleway, between the Coppet Hall and Wisemans Bridge tunnels, and affects access between Wisemans Bridge and Coppet Hall beach.
The top path remains open.
Pembrokeshire County Council’s geotechnical advisor has recommended that the path be closed until a remedial solution can be implemented.
A council spokesperson said: “Given that we are in the middle of winter, there are a number of triggers that could reactivate the partially failed sections of the rock mass, such as frost and heavy rain in the short term – and the likelihood of rock fall reaching the path is high.
“The Authority has engaged a specialist to assess the cliff face where a detailed survey of the slope will be undertaken to determine the nature and depth of the rock fall. This will allow the design of remedial works, which could include removal and regrade of the rock fall, plus the installation of a catch fence.
“A review into the rock fall and necessary remediation work, which is subject to affordability, will now be evaluated. This is likely to take a number of months.”
The coastal path, known as the Tramway, was previously closed after it experienced ‘substantial rock falls’ in late 2023 and early 2024
Last March Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet backed works expected to cost some £600,000, with a hoped-for finish date of the start of the summer holidays.
Reopening was delayed until early August “as a consequence of additional works required, including the occurrence of another landslip along the path,” with additional remedial works needed.
During last year’s works, local councillor Chris Williams hit out at “selfish” path users putting others at risk by repeatedly cutting open safety barriers and fencing while the repair works were being undertaken.
Barriers and warning signs were put in place at the entrance to the ‘short tunnel’ – the first of the two which lead from Coppet Hall to Wisemans Bridge, along with fencing on the Wisemans side.
But because the signs have been ignored by some people, along with damage caused, a gate was put in place on the Coppet Hall side.
Fencing on the opposite side was also targeted, with a hole cut through.
Education
New resource to support Welsh medium pupils
EDUCATION researchers have published a special booklet to support pupils in Welsh medium schools from homes where the language is not spoken.
Entitled Partner, Promote and Provide, the booklet was co-created in workshops led by Aberystwyth University which brought together education partners from Ceredigion and Powys, with input from parents and pupils.
It builds on a series of research studies by the School of Education which began during the Covid-19 lockdowns in 2020 and which explored the impact of the pandemic on pupils along with the additional challenges facing Welsh-medium schools in extending support to children from non-Welsh-speaking homes.
Dr Siân Lloyd-Williams Director of Research at Aberystwyth University’s School of Education, said:
“Based on the studies we carried out between 2020 and 2024, it was clear we needed to continue the work so that we could evaluate, identify and measure the impact of our recommendations on supporting non-Welsh speaking families.
“We set out to organise a series of workshops, bringing together representatives from the local education authorities, teachers, parents and others to hear their experiences and gather evidence. As a result, we have co-created a special booklet that teachers can use to support pupils from non-Welsh-speaking homes who attend Welsh medium schools.”
Another member of the research team at Aberystwyth School of Education, Dr Rhodri Aled Evans, said:
“This is an example of effective and purposeful collaboration between academics and practitioners on the ground. We hope this booklet, together with the recommendations of our previous studies, will be a valuable resource for the education sector and beneficial for teachers, pupils and families alike.”
The Director of Education for Ceredigion County Council, Elen James, said:
“It has been extremely valuable to collaborate with the University’s researchers to create dedicated resources that offer practical help on how to further improve the experiences of Welsh-medium pupils from non-Welsh speaking homes. This work is important and an excellent starting point for further collaboration. We look forward to developing the project further in the future.”
The Partner, Promote and Provide booklet was launched at a training event for teachers held at the University on 16 January 2025 and can be downloaded from the University’s website as a PDF or hard copies can be sent on request.
Pictured: L to R: Susan Ferguson (Research Impact and Knowledge Officer, Aberystwyth University), Prysor Davies (Interim Head of the School of Education, Aberystwyth University), Dr Rhodri Evans (Lecturer in Education, Aberystwyth University), Rhiannon Salisbury (teacher), Alwyn Ward (Ceredigion County Council)
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