News

Stepaside holiday park expansion expected to be refused

Published

2 years ago

July 22, 2023

Bruce Sinclair - Local Democracy Reporter

PLANS for a “complex and sprawling” expansion of a south Pembrokeshire holiday park, which has attracted hundreds of objections, are expected to be refused next week.

The application for the works at Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley, is to be considered at the July 25 meeting of the county council’s planning committee.

It includes the installation of 48 bases for holiday lodges, a spa facility, holiday apartments, a café and cycle hire, an equestrian stables, a manège and associated office, main park office, car and cycle parking, residential garages, landscaping, access, retaining walls, foul and surface water drainage, and related infrastructure and engineering works.

The plans, submitted by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd, are recommended for refusal including “by reason of the proposed bases for holiday lodges being outside of a settlement and the holiday apartments not being within or well-related to a town, service centre or service village”.

A report for planners says 245 objections have been received, raising concerns including the effect on the character of the village, the effect on wildlife, noise and light pollution, a loss of trees, and spoiling views and reducing the value of property.

Stepaside & Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group – formed to object to an earlier 2019 application – has also raised a 38-page objection, with a long list of concerns, describing the current application as “a reincarnation of an earlier application, which first alerted the residents of Stepaside, Pleasant Valley and the surrounding villages of the applicant’s plans to implement a complex and sprawling development which would take over the whole valley”.

The 2019 application – which had been recommended for refusal – was later withdrawn.

Amroth Community Council has also objected -albeit referring to a previously withdrawn application, as has Kilgetty/Begelly Community Council, with a long list of concerns.

Rural campaign group the Campaign for the Protection of Rural Wales (CPRW) has also objected, and supported the submission of the Stepaside and Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group.

The application, made through agents Lichfields, says: “The site provides an opportunity to deliver a high-quality tourist offer whilst also preserving and enhancing the ecological and heritage surroundings and is therefore considered to be acceptable in terms of design and access principles.”

The application itself consists of six parts: access roads and retaining walls; 31 bases for holiday lodges and associated works; a holiday equestrian facility with on-site accommodation which includes a manege, reception building, 12 horse stable block, 18 space car park and bases for three holiday lodges; the redevelopment of the former Stepaside Inn into a leisure spa facility and four holiday apartments (in addition to the existing four residential apartments) including an upgraded entrance road; bases for a further 14 holiday accommodation pods; and a holiday lodge structure for a cafe, cycle hire and information point with associated infrastructure and landscaping, as well as a 21-space car park.

News

Pembroke Dock man sent to Crown Court over alleged ABH assault

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Charge relates to incident in the town last weekend

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been sent to the Crown Court for trial after appearing before magistrates accused of assault causing actual bodily harm.

Darren Markes, aged 47, of High Street, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Markes is charged with assault occasioning actual bodily harm, contrary to the Offences Against the Person Act.

The charge relates to an alleged incident on Friday (Dec 13) in Pembroke Dock, when it is alleged that Markes assaulted a woman, causing her actual bodily harm.

No plea was entered at the hearing.

Due to the seriousness of the allegation, magistrates declined jurisdiction and ordered that the case be sent to the Crown Court for trial under the Crime and Disorder Act.

Markes was remanded on conditional bail. Conditions include:

Not contacting a witness, directly or indirectly
Reporting to Pembroke Dock police station every Wednesday between 12:00pm and 2:00pm
Living and sleeping each night at his home address

He is due to appear at Swansea Crown Court on Thursday (Jan 16) at 9:30am for a plea and trial preparation hearing.

Crime

Aberystwyth man denies criminal damage charge over Cardigan gallery window

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Alleged incident said to have taken place on Bridge Street

AN ABERYSTWYTH man has denied a charge of criminal damage relating to an alleged incident in Cardigan.

Ricky Myers, aged 27, of Jasper House, Aberystwyth, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard that Myers is accused of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000, contrary to the Criminal Damage Act 1971.

The charge relates to an incident on Saturday (Aug 24, 2024) at Manchester House on Bridge Street, Cardigan, where it is alleged that a window at the Cardigan Gallery was damaged. The property is said to belong to Peter Austin.

Myers pleaded not guilty to the allegation.

Magistrates adjourned the case for further case management, and Myers was remanded on conditional bail, with a condition that he live and sleep each night at his home address.

He is due to return to court at Aberystwyth Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 17) at 2:00pm.

Crime

Pembroke Dock man remanded in custody ahead of sentencing on string of offences

Published

5 hours ago

December 15, 2025

Court Reporter

Harassment charge and three assaults among cases listed for Llanelli court

A PEMBROKE DOCK man has been remanded in custody ahead of sentencing after admitting a series of offences, including harassment and assaults.

Tony Brundrett, aged 21, of Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock, appeared at Haverfordwest Magistrates’ Court on Monday (Dec 15).

The court heard Brundrett has pleaded guilty to harassment without violence, contrary to the Protection from Harassment Act. The charge alleges that between Tuesday (Sep 17) and Thursday (Oct 31) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, he pursued a course of conduct amounting to harassment of a female, including attending her home address and contacting her by text message.

He has also admitted assault by beating against the same female, alleged to have taken place on Wednesday (May 21) at Spring View, Pembroke Dock, and a further assault by beating against a second female on Thursday (Oct 30), also at Spring View.

Magistrates were additionally told that Brundrett faces a further allegation of common assault against a third female, said to have occurred on Tuesday (Dec 9) at Kavanagh Court, Pembroke Dock. No plea was recorded to that matter in the register entry.

Brundrett has also pleaded guilty to a number of offences linked to an incident in Haverfordwest on Saturday (Nov 16). These include:

Aggravated vehicle taking, involving a Vauxhall Corsa, with damage caused before recovery
Using a motor vehicle without insurance
Driving otherwise than in accordance with a licence
Criminal damage, involving a window belonging to Pembrokeshire County Council

He was remanded in custody, with the next hearing listed at Llanelli Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday (Dec 31) at 10:00am.