Rents in Pembrokeshire rise 7% over last year – The Pembrokeshire Herald

A PEMBROKESHIRE national park scheme to redevelop Newport Sands car park with extra parking spaces, beach access ramps and new public amenities is expected to be approved next week by the authority’s planning committee.

In an application recommended for approval at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s Development Management Committee meeting on 4 December, the landowner, the National Park, is seeking permission for the demolition and replacement of the existing public amenity block, the creation of an access ramp and steps to the southern berth, the construction of a beach wheelchair storage building and works on the existing car park, including new pay and display machines, at Newport Sands PCNP Car Park, Golf Course Road.

The work includes an additional 52 parking spaces compared to the current 43, along with an increase in disabled parking spaces.

Newport Sands/Traeth Mawr became car-free last May; The authority stopped parking at Newport Sands beach after buying the land in response to growing safety concerns.

It said the beach would be a ‘car-free’ zone, with exceptions only allowed for emergency services and essential car users such as the RNLI and coastguards.

A petition was later launched calling for a backlash, saying an outright ban will have a negative effect on a wide range of beach users, including disabled visitors.

Last July, members of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks authority agreed to keep the car-free decision, along with “actively pursuing options on how to improve access for people living with disabilities”.

Between October and November last year, the park also held an online public consultation on the future of Traeth Mawr, with 107 responses received, members of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Parks Authority heard back in March when proposals for the changes outlined in the application were discussed, with expected costs associated with the project in the £330-£350,000 range.

A report to committee members ahead of the December meeting says: “The proposal will result in enhanced and improved services for visitors to the Newport Sands car park by providing better access to the beach, clearly laid out car parks and pedestrian zones, improved public amenity facilities, and landscape improvements across the site .The provision of a changing facility, beach wheelchair storage and new access ramp will likely help improve wheelchair access to this site.

“Overall, the officers believe that the proposals are acceptable and that the scheme as a whole protects the special qualities of the national park while delivering appropriate improvements to this important community amenity.”

In response to concerns about a limited mobile signal making it difficult to pay for parking via phone ‘apps’, it is proposed to offer contactless card payments.

The report concludes: “The proposal will result in improved and improved services for visitors to the popular Newport Sands car park by providing better access to the beach, clearly laid out car parks and pedestrian zones, improved public amenity facilities and landscape improvements across the site. Therefore, the proposed scheme is assessed to be acceptable in terms of scale, form, use and design.”