AN APPEAL against national park refusal of a shepherd hut holiday let in a Pembrokeshire village, which gained public support after it was turned down, has been lodged.

In an application refused by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park last year, Alex Mazaheri of Melrose, Whitehill, near Cresselly sought retrospective permission for a shepherd hut holiday let, and car parking space in the property grounds.

Work started in February 2025.

An officer report recommending refusal said: “National and local planning policies strictly control new development in such locations, permitting only certain forms where the need for a countryside location is essential.

“It is not considered that the applicant has demonstrated this essential need.  Furthermore, the siting of the hut and associated access works, including the removal of a section of boundary hedge, has resulted in a significant visual impact when viewed from the public highway. “

It said a number of concerns had been raised by members of the public including the work already having been carried out, the hut sited in close proximity to the highway at one of the narrowest points of the road, removal of hedgerow and creation of a new access without permission, and a lack of adequate visibility to the road for vehicles emerging.

The application was refused on the grounds including it represented “unjustified new development in the countryside,” it would “appear visually intrusive and discordant within the street scene and surrounding rural landscape,” and “insufficient information was provided to demonstrate that the proposal would achieve nutrient neutrality within the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC) catchment”.

An appeal lodged with Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), says: “The appellant contends that the refusal was disproportionate and failed to properly reflect the modest scale of the proposal, relevant consultee responses, and the ability to address matters through reasonable planning conditions.”

It added: “Neighbours and passers‑by have commented positively on the hut, noting its modest and sympathetic appearance. Following refusal, local press coverage generated a number of public comments, the majority of which were supportive of the proposal.

“While these are not formal consultation responses, they indicate that the local community did not view the shepherd’s hut as harmful.”

It disputed the ‘retrospective’ description as misleading, saying: “The shepherd’s hut was placed within the domestic curtilage in the belief that this was permissible, as ancillary domestic structures are generally allowed under permitted development rights,” adding the hut works are not yet fully complete.

It added Mr Mazaheri had “not sought to evade planning control but has instead acted in good faith, investing in landscaping and improvements for the immediate area while applying for planning in an open and transparent manner”.

It said he was willing to accept conditions including holiday occupancy-only, retention of an off-street parking space, obstruction-free visibility splays, and biodiversity enhancements.

It concluded: “The proposal is proportionate, reversible, and consistent with both local precedent and national guidance. It will support a young local family, provide modest but meaningful income diversification, and deliver biodiversity enhancements without causing harm to landscape character, ecology, highways, or amenity.”

A decision on the appeal is expected later in the year.

A CALL for a £75,000 grant to support the coastal bus network in Pembrokeshire has been backed by the national park.

At the March meeting of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, members were recommended to authorise payment of approximately £75,000 to Pembrokeshire County Council as a contribution towards the coastal bus network and the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager post for the financial year 2026/2027.

A report for members said: “The Authority has contributed financially towards the provision of the coastal bus services and the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager post and seeks agreement for financial contributions to be made over the financial year 2026/27. The financial contribution of approximately £75,000 is considered to be manageable for the Authority.”

It added: “Continued funding during the next financial year is critical during a period of transport reform and will help secure the future of the coastal bus provision when services are franchised across the region.

“If Pembrokeshire County Council were to introduce a tourism levy in the future, it is anticipated that revenue generated through such a scheme could be used to support sustainable transport infrastructure, including the coastal bus network.

“The Authority has made longstanding payments towards the operation of the coastal bus network and support services provided by a transport officer post. In the financial year 2025/2026 the National Park Authority’s contribution was: – £55,989 contribution to the Coastal bus services – £16,400 towards the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager post which provides the Secretariat for Pembrokeshire Greenways and coordinates the Coastal Bus provision. The Authority also contributes £7,000 towards the Tenby Park and Ride Service, however, this is under a separate agreement.”

This year, a contribution for the coastal bus services of £58,117, together with an identical £16,400 towards the Integrated Transport Unit Strategy Manager post was sought, bringing the total amount to £74,517.75.

It said the 2025-’26 total cost of running the coastal bus network, covering the 400 Puffin Shuttle, the 404 Strumble Shuttle, the 403 Celtic Coaster, and the 387/388 Coastal Cruiser amounted to £316,755.95; the park’s financial contribution equating to 17.6 per cent of the total cost against a historic contribution of approximately a third, the remainder council funded through the Bus Network and Bus Service Support Grants.

The report added: “The services operate almost entirely within the National Park, providing access to the majority of the coast for visitors and also provides a service for residents. The Authority’s contribution enables the provision of enhanced services to the Pembrokeshire coast, running daily, seven days per week through the summer.”

Members backed the £75,000 contribution recommended.

THE ROW over Peter Mandelson has escalated after the Welsh Government cleared its own dealings with the Labour grandee — as UK Conservative leader Kemi Badenoch accused Prime Minister Keir Starmer of “lying” about him.

First Minister Eluned Morgan ordered a review into communications between Welsh Government officials and Mandelson following pressure from Plaid Cymru leader Rhun ap Iorwerth.

The investigation examined all correspondence — as well as material from documents linked to Jeffrey Epstein — and concluded there was “nothing which represented a risk to the conduct of Welsh Government business.”

But the findings come as Mandelson is once again at the centre of a growing political storm in Westminster.

Westminster clash

Speaking on LBC, Badenoch claimed Starmer had misled Parliament over Mandelson, saying: “This is a man who tells lies at PMQs… just like he did with Peter Mandelson when he said, ‘I didn’t know the full extent of his relationship’, and the papers… showed the opposite.”

While such language would be ruled out of order in the Commons, the accusation marks a significant escalation in political rhetoric around the issue.

Labour has not yet responded to the claims.

Questions remain

In Wales, ministers insist the matter has been fully examined and closed.

However, the Welsh Government has not published the underlying correspondence reviewed, nor detailed the extent of any contact with Mandelson.

That lack of transparency may leave the door open to further scrutiny — particularly given the wider controversy now unfolding at UK level.

Political risk

Although no wrongdoing has been identified, the timing is sensitive.

With the Senedd election approaching, any perceived links — however indirect — to a figure caught up in a Westminster row involving Epstein-related material could prove politically damaging.

Opposition parties are likely to argue that the issue is no longer just about internal processes, but about public trust.

For now, the Welsh Government is standing by its findings.

But as the row intensifies in Westminster, the Mandelson question may not be going away any time soon.