A public Zoom meeting is being held this evening (Monday, April 12) to discuss the proposed changes to Pembroke Dockyard and the development of the Pembroke Dock Marine Project.

Parts of Pembroke Dock’s historic port could be covered over if major changes proposed in five planning applications submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council get the go ahead – with people encouraged to have their say.

The Port of Milford Haven has submitted one planning application, three listed building application and one conservation area application all related to its masterplan for the haven waterway and the Pembroke Dock Marine, Swansea Bay City Deal project.

Outline planning for demolition, part demolition and infill, modification of slipways, erection of buildings and ancillary development – for port related activities including the manufacture of marine energy devices, boat manufacture and repair and erection of plant (outline planning permission with all matters reserved for future consideration).

The site is located in the Milford Haven Waterway Landscape of Outstanding Historic Interest as well as the Pembroke Dock Conservation Area.

This also requires a listed buildings application for the part demolition and modification of slipways at Gate 4.

Separate listed building applications for the infill of the dockyard’s timber pond and graving dock, including the removal and restoration of a caisson.

Supporting documents with the applications state that the two historic sites will be covered with a protective layer of sand before granular fill is put in and a building located partially on top, with foundations designed to avoid piles impacting directly on the walls of the timber pond.

A heritage impact statement adds that the upper part of the western wall will be retain as a visible point of reference and the dock entrance will be retained, with reference made to the potential for the works to be “reversible.”

Work to the slipways would retain the outermost walls and a Grade II listed former foremen’s office will also be conserved, reports add.

The overall plans include the creation of a single large slipway by partially demolition the Grade II listed slipways one and two, dredging around the westernmost slipways, infilling of the graving dock and timber pond, demolition of various unlisted buildings in a conservation area, provision of large areas of hardstanding where buildings could be created for business, erection of buildings for the assembly, manufacturing and repair of vessels and devices, areas and buildings for the importation and storage of goods and raw materials for fabrication activities and enhanced interconnectivity between the new Gate 4 facility and the existing Gate 1 facility via transport corridors.

The public Zoom meeting is being held on Monday, and anyone with any concerns about the proposed changes is askede to please e-mail them to : [email protected] and/or attend the meeting to have your say.

“Any concerns that our Community has will then be put to the Pembrokeshire County Council Planning Committee during their meeting on April 20,” said Mr. Gannon.

To join the meeting click on the following link on Monday at 6 pm : https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83475581123?pwd=TTNYaDl3MWtFTUR4enFJdUM2UEhvQT09

(Meeting ID 834 7558 1123; Passcode 685514)