Annex B - Information Sent to Members of Pembrokeshire County Council's Planning Committee for the Meeting on 20 April 2021.

 Annex B 

 

Moving the Siting of Application 20/0732/PA 

to 

The Waterloo Industrial Estate 

Pembroke Dock 

Annex B – 4 - Notes

 

Pembroke Dock Infrastructure Project at Waterloo Industrial Estate

 

This is a discussion of the map above. Each item will be explained in turn.

 

You should also refer to the attached maps and table that illustrate the known leaseholds (Annex B-3 Known Leaseholds) and freeholds (Annex B –2 Known Freeholds) operating in this area. The listings are not exhaustive. They do give a fairly accurate representation of land ownership in the area. Accessing suitable mapping in the time available has been a major difficulty when trying to establish the extant of some tenures, particularly those in the hands of Pembrokeshire County Council. Titles for all the properties illustrated can be supplied if required.

 

Shed A, Fabrication building for sub-assemblies and marine engineering related activities (11,900sqm) – (170m X 70m and 40m to ridge)

 

This building could be accommodated on the land presently owned by Ledwood. Ledwood has experience in the fabrication of the types of structures required by the marine energy industry. Some of the land formerly owned by Ledwood has been sold back to PCC. It is highly likely that Ledwood would be engaged in work in the dockyard should the project (unfortunately) go ahead at that location. Milford Haven Port Authority (MHPA) has powers of compulsory purchase of property and businesses that would enable it to fulfil its role. They could either use those powers to acquire the property or, preferably, come to some arrangement with Ledwood regarding a joint venture to build Shed A on their land. This would serve one of MHPA’s stated aims, which is to support the local economy and businesses.

 

Shed B - High bay ship repair and fabrication building (4,900sqm) – (75m X 65m and 40m to ridge)

 

This facility could be built so that it faces directly onto the open concrete laydown area that would give access to the new slip to be built on the west bank of Cosheston Pill. MHPA owns the land currently leased to East Llanion Marine Ltd. The leaseholder’s business would be re-sited in the Western Dockyard, providing many advantages to the business, including easier access to the water via the existing slips. 

 

Shed C- Light assembly and maintenance building (2,500sqm) – (129m X 20m and 10m to ridge)

 

This facility is on the indicative masterplan shown as being an L-shaped building. This implies that the total length of the building could be of a different layout. Possibly in two different parts as illustrated in the map above or as a continuous run in a different location. 

 

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Proposed Slipway and Transition Area

This could be laid down the western side of Cosheston Pill. There are temporary environmental considerations at this location as Cosheston Pill is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). A small slip already exists at this location. However, the construction of the slip would be a relatively short-term source of a sediment plume. Most of this plume might well be confined to the area Pill itself. The new slip would be a much larger affair. The landward side of the site is, I understand, part of the Milford Haven Waterway Enterprise Zone. The new slip would provide access to the deep-water channel adjacent to the proposed Marine Energy Test Area (META), subject of PCC planning application 20/0756/PA. 

 

This stretch of water has the advantage that the tidal current has a scouring effect on the channel, which eliminates the build-up of sediments.  

 

The site at the dockyard is an area where there is a steady deposition of sediment in front of the slips. This would require dredging to maintain sufficient access to the required depth of water.

 

Possible Railhead

 

The piece of land on the map above that is marked as a possible railhead is in the freehold of MHPA. This has been the case since 2011. The site could be used as a railhead for delivering steel and other supplies to the PDI project at Waterloo. As such it would remove heavy vehicles for the road and be kinder to the environment. The track has a history of being used by heavy trains, most notably those carrying Armoured Fighting Vehicles (AFVs) to Castlemartin Range during World War Two via Pembroke Station. The track west of Pembroke has been used even more recently by AFV trains that have taken on armoured vehicles at Pembroke Dock Station.

 

Laydown areas etc.

 

The site at Waterloo would seem to have plenty of scope for accommodating the large areas of concrete supposedly required by the PDI project. Much of this concrete will already have been laid at Waterloo Industrial Estate.

 

 

 

AJ 3 Apr 2021

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