Readers will be pleased to hear that no charges will be made in 2019 for parking at Amroth Car Park (or any of the other three being considered) due to a timing issue with paperwork.
The next meeting of Amroth Community Council will be held on March 21st in Amroth Parish Hall, starting at 7.00 pm. To view the agenda, please click on the link below and select Amroth on the Community Council drop down list. The agenda will be available to view one week prior to the meeting. Minutes can also be viewed here.
Scroll down to see news from
- St Elidyrs Church
- ACC regarding a talk on Exercise Jantzen
- ACC regarding the response to the Pre Application Consultation for Heritage Park.
Notice regarding St Elidyrs Church Graveyard from Mr Charles Carter
The Parochial Church Council (PCC) met recently to discuss the situation with the graveyard at St Elidyr’s Church. Over 700 people are buried in the churchyard adjacent to St Elidyr’s and, without extensive work on an area beside and below the church, the graveyard will shortly become full. The PCC decided that they were unable to find the funds to undertake this work. We are fortunate in the parish to be able to use the graveyard at Crunwere. It was therefore decided that when the current St Elidyr’s churchyard becomes full it will be closed to burials which require new graves.
We are still awaiting the decision from the Church in Wales as to what is to happen to the old Crunwere church. Once that decision is made, we shall undertake repairs to the walls and fencing and carry out essential ground maintenance. We will be looking for local support to maintain the graveyard as we do already at Amroth.
Unfortunately, Church rules deny the ability to reserve “future plots”, without there being quite exceptional circumstances. The Churchwardens therefore felt we should alert local parishioners early as to the future of our two graveyards. If anyone wishes to discuss this with the churchwardens, they will be delighted to explain the circumstances in more detail.
We will shortly be launching a “Friends of Amroth Church” to help fund some of the maintenance to keep our lovely church open and to help maintain the graveyards. Please support us if you can.
Exercise Jantzen
At 8 pm on Monday 18th February in Amroth Parish Hall there will be a talk by historian Tony Jukes on the role played by Amroth and Wisemans Bridge in the practises for the D day landings, know as Exercise Jantzen. This is a free event organised by Amroth Community Council and everyone is welcome.
Community Council comments submitted to the Heritage Park Statutory Pre Application Consultation Document on 27th January 2019
Amroth Community Council met on Thursday 24 January 2019. Members of the public are entitled to attend and at this meeting there were over 30 residents. Primarily these residents live in the settlements of Stepaside and Pleasant Valley and are within the bounds of Amroth Community Council. It should be noted that some, however, whilst living in Stepaside, their properties are actually with the boundary of Kilgetty Begelly Community Council. It is felt that their presence was relevant at the meeting as are their comments.
Taking on board the comments and concerns of the residents, Amroth Community Council discussed the proposal further and wish the following to be taken into consideration regarding proposed development at Heritage Park, Stepaside, Pembrokeshire. It is acknowledged that the site lies primarily within Kilgetty Begelly ward, however it will be the residents of Amroth ward who will be affected – as one resident phrased it, “The land is in Kilgetty, but the humanity is in Amroth”.
Traffic:
The Heritage Park lies with Kilgetty ward but the all of the roads accessing the Heritage Park are within Amroth Ward. The impact on traffic and road usage immediately affects residents.
• The road traffic survey submitted is flawed, not being carried out at peak time and should reflect the substantial increase in traffic.
• The entrance proposed for the new developments in the Craft Village, new lodges and the Stables is already causing traffic issues. Work has commenced resulting in the car park being unavailable. Displaced traffic now parks alongside the Heritage Park causing significant hazards along what is a narrow, but busy, road. The disruption already witnessed by resident’s opposite with heavy lorries from early in the morning.
• The volume of traffic at that entrance point will significantly impact on the residents along the road in terms of noise, pollution and disruption.
• It is not only a case of users ‘(of the Heritage Park) arrival and departure traffic movement – there is also
o Subsequent movements as they visit other villages, driving then down and through Pleasant Valley
o Delivery and other ancillary drivers to the lodges
o Taxis
• The road is the main access point for the residents of Pleasant Valley, being on a bus route but it is not suitable for the proposed level of traffic which will be generated by the level of development.
• The site of the proposed Spa with barrier entrance is already a problem, raised with the Community Council owing to speeding and lack of visibility. The proposal could cause a backlog onto the road, effecting a hazard, combined with increase of traffic (given the number of parking spaces proposed, this is expected) turning right into the property as well as those looking for it, so “cruising” through the village.
• The creation of a busy “crossroads” where the exit from the Spa is opposite the proposed entrance to three main areas of development – the additional lodges, Stables area and redeveloped Craft Village.
• The substantial impact on the roads within Stepaside and Pleasant Valley during the proposed construction. The disruption experienced to date at the corner by Prince of Wales and Cromwell Court is substantial, effectively blocking the entrance and exit to the villages. It is already a “bottleneck” Residents are concerned on the levels of noise and safety, especially the effect on Emergency Services being able to access properties quickly and safely.
• The proposed Bike Hire facility with adjacent 21 car parking spaces will have further impact, not only in frequent vehicular traffic as customers arrive/depart to hire bikes but then also in using the bikes, presumably on the surrounding roads and bridle paths.
• The proposed Stable development will require the movement of horse boxes, through the bottleneck in Stepaside described above and causing further problems at the entrance to the site.
• The additional horses in the area will add to the overall traffic issues as they could potentially use the roads to access the bridle paths. With the addition of bikes being hired as well as increase in overall traffic, there are real concerns for safety.
Noise:
Such an increase in provision at the Heritage Park will lead to an overall increase in noise levels. The Park is, primarily, in the Valley so noise reverberates up to village residents. Where development is proposed higher up, at the Craft Village and for the Stables, this will carry across the Valley to an even greater level.
Of main concern
• General Noise Levels of so many lodges combined with horses and dogs. This will be constant, from early morning runners and dog walkers to late night revellers.
• Traffic noise – both during construction and ongoing.
• Maintenance noise – Current maintenance involves chain saws and machinery which emit high pitched, whining noises.
• Digestors and Sewage treatment – the current facility serving the existing Heritage Park can be heard by a number of properties as is. With the proposed additional units and pumps being situated as proposed, together with the anticipated size to service the number of lodges, there will be a constant humming noise.
Light Pollution:
There will be a further increase in the level of light pollution extending further up the Valley. Low Level lighting is proposed but none exists currently so there will be an impact and for long periods. There will be light emanating from the Lodges themselves.
Residents spoke of there being “black skies” not so long ago over the Park which are no longer evident, owing to the existing development.
Wildlife and the Environment:
Wildlife
The area is very much valued for its beauty, tranquillity and diverse amount of wildlife. Of particular concern are the Barn Owls, Bats, Pheasants, Partridges, Kingfishers, Dormice, several species of Invertebrates and Dippers (in the stream). Although not indigenous, the Peacocks resident in there are part of the area, having been there so long. Whilst there is no cost associated with wildlife, the value it brings to the area in environmental terms is high and deserves protection. Residents and visitors alike use the area to educate and to foster appreciation.
Environment
The effect on the Environment overall is of concern, not least the effect on the river running through the site. Proposed sewage treatment will still discharge into the river and hence onto the beach at Wiseman’s Bridge.
The existing planning permission, although acknowledged as in place legally, is for siting on a flood plain. There is much concern over the fact that provision of concrete bases for theses lodges together with those proposed will create additional impermeable layers. These in turn affect the watercourse and flow, which is already an issue for residences in Stepaside who experience off flow water from the main road, which naturally should flow to the river. With existing development, it has been noted that this was an issue. Residents are concerned at the risk of further flooding caused by the creation of an impermeable layer.
The level of “concreting” over the green spaces for the lodges, the building of the roads and the loss of the green space, especially the treatment of the woods providing habitat for the wildlife, muffling for the noise and light but also the natural effect of trees in an area.
The Ruins
The proposed development will impact on the visibility and prominence of the Heritage Ruins. They will be masked by the development and access curtailed.
Impact locally
There is concern that the scale of development would impact on
• Community space and parking – it is understood under the terms of the lease, that provision be made for car parking on the site. Not only would this be lost but has already been curtailed by the developer currently, causing traffic issues as above. Wheelchair users cannot easily access the site because of this
• Local resources – the development will increase the number of people on the site, visitors (daily as well as for holidays) and semi-residents. There is then an impact not only on roads but also potentially health and emergency services. Such local services are already very much under pressure, an increase in potential temporary residents using local surgeries, for example, should be noted. In addition, there have already been occasions where the Air Ambulance has had to be summoned, landing on what will now be a developed area. How then will emergency services be able to quickly respond? The risk is also increased given that there will be horse riding, bike hire and increased car movements.
• The development is subject to residency terms (of the lodges) – how will these be policed and checked? There is concern, not only are the lodges being used as second homes but also as main residences. Given that the residents of Pleasant Valley and Stepaside are Council Tax Payers, paying for services then being used by residents of the Heritage Park, there is concern as to conditions being adhered to.
• Public money has been used on the site previously with adherent conditions, have these been followed to date and will they in the future?
• The impact on other caravan parks in the area.
• Much concern has been raised as to the effect of the development on value of residents’ property.
• Much concern has been raised on the effect of the development on residents’ right to enjoy their properties as purchased, that the rurality is being compromised, as one resident stated – from Pleasant Valley to Unpleasant Valley, not a Heritage Park but a Caravan Park.