Know your Dockyard! 1

Pembroke  Dock Marine 

The Memory of Pembroke Dock in the Balance

HMS Boadicea at Hobbs Point.

Many of you who follow these posts will be aware of the potential devastation that Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) proposes to inflict on many of the last remaining buildings and structures that stand in the western part of Pembroke Dockyard. For my earlier interpretation of this see this post.

MHPA has now published online the "Pre-Application Consultation planning documents" for their proposals, and these can be found at:

https://www.mhpa.co.uk/pembroke-dock-marine/


The first impression upon seeing the list of downloadable documents is one of dismay and horror -

"How the heck can I read all this stuff? Where do I start?"

Producing volumes of paperwork is how the planning system works. These papers are not aimed at the inhabitants of Pembroke Dock, but at the largely anonymous officials who have to make a recommendation about whether the application should be passed or not.

The people of Pembroke Dock have been consulted about this (Yes you have) and the focus has been on the proposed benefits - seemingly substantial - that could arise from the scheme. All very encouraging and promising a bright future.....or is it?

This is going to be a long haul.......

The first documents from the list I read were those relating to the heritage assets and landscapes that would be affected by the project. I am biased as I have a high regard for the work of our fore-fathers and the skills that we have long abandoned. So let's see what we have....

The Environmental Statement (ES) and unusually, but selfishly, I will start with Chapter 10 - The Historic Environment.

This chapter :

.......of the ES assesses the effects of the proposed scheme on all aspects of the environment, including buried archaeological remains, historic buildings, historic areas and marine heritage.

It includes 69 pages of legislation and planning guidance that has been referred to in compiling this evaluation of the historic environment within  "The Yard". There are selective quotes that back the general thrust of MHPA's proposal.

The report has been compiled by RPS - Making Complex Easy who have a web presence at:

www.RPSgroup.com

I would suggest that you take a look at the chapter before reading the appendices I mention below Enjoy.

Here it is: Chapter 10 -  Historic Environment

Time for a break and a picture....

Pembroke Dockyard - Slips 1 and 2 c1903 or a little later.

Now, having successfully completed that challenge I will now look at the Appendices. These will have been referred to in Chapter 10 of the Environmental Study(ES).

Appendix 10.1 click here.

This appendix starts with the usual sections on planning regulation and methodology of the following desk based assessment and then moves onto, at about page 11, an interesting potted overview of the history of the dockyard and its development, with a list of further reading at the end.

I do have a few issues with some of what is said, but overall whilst mainly broadly accurate in stating what they had found, it made me defensive and in the end I was aware that this account was written by a big company, with little interest in what local, born and bred Pembroke Dock people might think about their own historic environment. OK, none of the heritage is in the same league as the Taj Mahal or Venice, but it does matter to those of us who know tha place well...at least some of us!

After the "rubric" come the Figures! The Pictures!

I am a sucker for a good picture or map and the figures in the last part of Appendix 10.1 are fascinating and thought provoking.

Figure 1. is a good location map. 

Figure 2. is a location map that places the development site within its wider context. A little bit of jargon has crept in - HLCA - Historic Landscape Character Area. A good introduction to these can be downloaded as a pdf from CADW. It also includes, at the rear,  a useful map of those HLCAs within Wales. 

Figure 3. is a good map that shows the designated historic environment features within Pembroke Dockyard and around. [It has always bemused me that some of the oldest houses in Pembroke Dock have been ignored en masse in the recognition of the heritage of the place. [However, I digress as that is not a problem associated with this project - it rests with the ignorance of some of the very senior officers at Pembrokeshire County Council perhaps.] ]

Figure 4. A fascinating old map that has been misinterpreted in the main write up earlier in Chapter 10. For an alternative interpretation see the series of posts here. 

Figure 5. An oft reproduced image of Paterchurch. 

Figure 6 - 16. A great series of maps and pictures that relate the history of the dockyard and its development. WELL WORTH LOOKING AT.

I am going to stop now and continue next time.......

.........Keep safe and well!