03/29/2024

Wales News Online

Local & National News for Wales

CHANGES to parking at Abereiddy have been made official with planning permission from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park.

The “top field” will be available for parking all year, with charges in place April to September with six disabled spaces nearer the sea front, where water sport operators will also be located.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park’s development management committee approved that delegated permission be granted following the finalisation of condition amendments for the “regularisation of existing use of Abereiddy Common Car Park.”

The application is made by Man Up UK Activities Ltd and includes limiting the car park to six disabled spaces with drop off and turning area, as well as a change of use for part of an agricultural field to use as a car park with an attendant’s hut.

National park director Nicola Gandy said at the meeting on Wednesday (January 2) “this has been something that the authority has been working on for a number of years. WE sought a land owner who would be willing to use an area of land as a car park, the beach car park is being lost to the sea every year.”

It is considered to be a “long term solution to providing access to Abereiddy beach” she added, and although a car park would not normally be approved this “displacement car park” with 190 spaces should be sufficient.

There were a number of objections received, and local county councillor Neil Prior told members it was the subject he received the most complaints about, “excluding covid.”

He added: “We need to see the operator working with the community, continue to have the dialogue and make sure the actions match the words.”

Shelagh Parker, a second home/holiday let owner in Abereiddy, addressed the meeting and said parking issues had increase following “aggressive commercialisation” of activity operators.

Overnight parking was also a significant issue with “wall to wall RVs” in the summer, she added.

A resident seasons pass will be available for those living in the Llanrhian council ward applicant Fintan Godkin said, and a shuttle bus will operate from the top car park during high season.

“The current situation is not sustainable,” he said, adding he would work with the community to overcome any issues that may develop.

“You do get a lot of return visitors, every year it becomes more of the norm to use the top car park,” he added.

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