Plans for multi-million-pound holiday park extension at historic site set to be rejected again

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

Multi-million-pound plans for a holiday park extension, which have been resubmitted after a high court judgement overturned council approval, are expected to be refused again.

In late 2023 Pembrokeshire councillors approved the contentious application by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd for works including the installation of 48 bases for holiday lodges, a spa facility at a former pub, holiday apartments, a café and cycle hire, equestrian stables, a manège and an associated office at Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley/Stepaside.

It was said the scheme, next to the historic remains of the 19th century Stepaside ironworks and colliery, would create 44 jobs.

Full council

The final decision was made at full council after members of the planning committee had twice supported the scheme against officer recommendations of refusal, based on the Local Development Plan, included the site being outside a settlement area.

Approval was given, by 37 votes to 16, with two abstentions, as it was considered that greater weight should be afforded to economic benefits of the scheme rather than policy.

Since that approval, a successful legal challenge was launched by Stepaside & Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group (SPVRG Ltd), who had objected to the original application.

A March High Court hearing presided by Judge Jarman KC recently ruled against the council decision, quashing that approval, and saying “the reason given by the council did not deal adequately with the important principal issues of development in the countryside, sustainability and precedent”.

It said the “major departure from countryside and sustainability policies is likely to have a lasting relevance for the question of policy in future cases,” and the “council’s resolution [was] simply to endorse the resolution of the planning committee, which predated the fuller report of the head of planning to the council.”

Resubmission

An application has now been resubmitted by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd, through agent Lichfields, aimed at addressing issues raised in the recent judgement, with the application due to be heard at the September meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, where it is again recommended for refusal.

In its lengthy submissions, Lichfields says “it is clear that members can reach a decision that is contrary to the development plan without setting a precedent”.

It adds: “However, given that there remains a conflict with the plan policies, there is also a need to consider the nature of the 2024 scheme that comprise unique circumstances that mean that the decision would not set a precedent.”

Amroth Community Council has once again objected to the scheme and officers are recommending refusal on similar grounds to previously, with a warning that “attaching significant weight to the limited benefits of this scheme would set an undesirable precedent and would make it difficult for the council to resist similar proposals”.

It adds: “This approach would therefore seriously undermine the Development Plan. As the Court Judgement notes, if approved, ‘this major departure from countryside and sustainability policies is likely to have a lasting relevance for the question of policy in future cases’.”