Fears new parking and traffic changes will ruin ‘natural charm’ of seaside village

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter 

Plans for parking and traffic changes to a rural seaside village are being described as “a complete urbanisation” by opponents, who say they will ruin its “natural charm”.

Next week Pembrokeshire County Council will be seeking a long list of changes to Porthgain Harbour in north Pembrokeshire.

It is seeking backing from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for highway and environmental improvements, including new parking bays, a realignment of the existing Llanrhian Road carriageway, resurfacing of existing parking areas, designated pedestrian footways and crossings, and traffic calming features.

The National Park owns the land which is the subject to the application. Historically a quarry port which was prosperous in the early 1900s, the scheme has been recommended for conditional approval.

The village is a Conservation Area and contains a number of listed buildings and the former quarry and harbour are both Scheduled Ancient Monument.

High visitor numbers

The village of 260 residents is dominated by the village green and informal car parking area and high visitor numbers during peak months cause traffic congestion, parking problems, and safety issues for pedestrians and emergency vehicles, the report says.

It states: “The application notes that high visitor numbers during peak months cause traffic congestion, parking problems, and safety issues for pedestrians and emergency vehicles. The proposed development seeks to address these issues through a range of highway and environmental improvements with associated drainage infrastructure and landscape enhancements.”

It adds: “A range of public responses have been received raising a number of concerns including around whether the scheme has reflected previous public engagement proposals, whether the scheme is necessary and whether it will negatively impact on the character and appearance of the historic village of Porthgain.”

Concerns raised in the report include: The plans submitted do not correspond to those the village was consulted on and they were not informed the access road to Porthgain is part of the project, vehicle access issues and a threat to existing businesses, and a proposed one-way system was not voted on.

The concerns also say the proposal would “change the ‘feral and free’ nature of Porthgain,” and is “a complete urbanisation of a very rural historic working harbour village” and the “natural charm of village will be ruined”.

Road realignment

Amongst the lengthy proposals are “road realignment, new parking bays, pedestrian footways, traffic calming measures, and improved drainage to enhance accessibility and safety,” the report says, with an informal one-way system being introduced.

However, vehicles will still be able to traverse in both directions to allow fishermen to move between the harbour and the slipway without having to go around the Llanrhian Road loop, the report adds.

It concludes: “Officers consider that the proposals are acceptable and that the scheme as a whole protects the special qualities of the National Park whilst delivering appropriate highway enhancements to this attractive historic centre. The impact on the setting of historic assets is considered acceptable.

“The proposals are considered to comply with relevant national and local planning policies. The scheme is therefore recommended for conditional approval.”