News
Mathry turbine nears approval
GARY and Annie Loch, of Ty Parke Farm Camping, advertise their secluded and peaceful site with the words: “Hidden away in the little hamlet of Llanreithan, near to St Davids, and close to the rugged north-west coast is our quiet, secluded camping and yurt farm. The campsite is at the end of our long private lane, completely away from any roads. The sky is big, the sunsets are amazing and the night times very dark – this is a wonderful place for star-gazing!” If planning officers have their way, however, the peace and seclusion offered by the site stands to be shattered by the erection of a 120 feet high wind turbine just 400 yards away from Ty Parke Farm and the camping ground Gary and Annie told the Herald: “For the past eight years we have been building up a successful boutique camping and yurt holiday business that attracts over 800 paying guests each summer. The proposed turbine will dominate our landscape. We feel certain that our business, which provides over 90% of our income, will suffer irreparable damage. “The Pen-y-banc ridge could have four turbines of three different sizes strung along its length and breaking the sky line of one of the most prominent ridge lines in this part of north Pembrokeshire. “There is no cumulative assessment of the landscape and visual impact on the views out from the Mathry Conservation Area assessing the effects of the existing turbines. We believe that such an assessment will show that if these are all erected then this area will take on the characteristics of an area dominated by the presence in the landscape of turbines. “We are by no means against renewable energy, indeed we have a small wind turbine of our own that caters for the needs of the campsite and farm. Furthermore, applicant already has a similar small turbine on the ridge that can be seen for miles around (we did not object to this because we saw it as supporting his farming business). “The new turbine is very, very much larger. It is not supporting his farm (most of his land is rented out now) and its development will industrialise the landscape.” The application for the wind turbine has been made by a company controlled by former Tory MP Tony Marlow and his partner Jill Chambers. The pair hit the news in 2001 when they announced an intention to plant GM crops at their Mathry farm. The bid was abandoned after local protests, which the former MP, claimed was “a deceitful and distorted campaign of misinformation.” Mathry Community Council’s objections have also been ignored by officers. The Community Council states that the turbine will “cause significant adverse impact, either cumulatively or individually” in breach of the County Council’s own development plan. Annie and Gary are urging their local representative, IPPG member David Rees, to back them against the development and asking those concerned about the damage to the landscape such a development represents to write to the Planning Officer conducting the case, Claire Jenkins, at County Hall, Haverfordwest.
Crime
Pembroke Dock woman in court for failing to remove rubbish from property
A PEMBROKE DOCK resident is due to appear before Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court later today (Nov 25) for multiple alleged breaches of a community protection notice.
Sheena Deacon, of 13 Wavell Crescent, Pembroke Dock, faces charges under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, which carries a maximum penalty of a Level 4 fine.
The charges stem from allegations that Deacon failed to remove accumulated household waste from her property on several occasions. According to court documents, the breaches occurred on September 19, September 26, October 2, October 9, and October 17 this year.
The charges indicate that Deacon, despite being issued with a community protection notice, did not comply with the requirements to clear and appropriately dispose of refuse and household waste from her address.
The Herald will bring updates on the case as it progresses.
News
Welsh Conservatives urge Labour to scrap ‘family farm tax’
THE WELSH CONSERVATIVES have announced plans to bring forward a Senedd debate next week (Nov 27) calling on the UK Labour Government to abandon its proposed “family farm tax.”
The tax, introduced by the UK Labour Government, is being criticised as a move that will harm Welsh farming, threaten food security, and increase food prices. Alongside the Welsh Government’s Sustainable Farming Scheme and perceived “anti-farming agenda,” critics argue this new tax amounts to a coordinated effort to undermine the future of agriculture in Wales.
Shadow Minister warns of consequences
Ahead of the debate, Welsh Conservative Shadow Minister for Rural Affairs, James Evans MS, condemned the proposal, stating:
“Labour’s family farm tax will put family farms out of business, threaten our food security, and lead to food prices rising. Only the Welsh Conservatives will stand up for our farmers, and that’s why we’re bringing forward a Senedd motion calling on Labour to reverse this decision. No farmers, no food.”
NFU Cymru expresses alarm
NFU Cymru President, Aled Jones, echoed these concerns, highlighting the widespread opposition from the farming community. Speaking about the impact of the tax on Agricultural Property Relief and Business Property Relief, Jones said:
“Earlier this week, hundreds of farmers from across Wales journeyed to London to meet with their MPs and register their deeply held concerns about these misguided and ill-thought-out reforms.
“The proposals unveiled by the Treasury last month to introduce a tax on the passing on of our family farms to the next generation are a massive added burden. They will leave many farmers without the means, confidence, or incentive to invest in the future of their business.
“NFU Cymru reiterates its call for the UK Government to halt these changes.”
The motion to be debated
The motion, set to be debated in the Senedd, reads:
“To propose that the Senedd:
Calls on the UK Labour Government to reverse its decision to impose a family farm tax on agricultural businesses.”
This debate is expected to attract significant attention, with Welsh farmers and rural communities keenly watching for the outcome.
Community
Internet outage for two villages after exchange box destroyed
RESIDENTS of Clunderwen and Llandissilio have been left without internet access following the destruction of an Openreach exchange box just outside Llandissilio village.
The incident occurred yesterday (Nov 23) when the box was reportedly demolished by a vehicle. The damage has resulted in a complete loss of internet services for the two villages, with repairs expected to take at least a couple of days.
Local residents have expressed frustration over the disruption, as the outage affects home businesses, remote workers, and households relying on internet connectivity for day-to-day tasks.
Openreach engineers have cordoned off the site, and work is ongoing to assess the extent of the damage. A spokesperson for Openreach has been contacted for comment but had not responded by the time of publication.
The vehicle involved in the incident has not yet been identified. Anyone with information about the collision is urged to contact the local police.
With repair timelines unclear, affected residents have called for increased communication from service providers to manage expectations during the outage.
“Bringing the community back online is a priority,” a local resident said. “We’re hoping Openreach can resolve the issue quickly and ensure it doesn’t happen again in future.”
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