A major Pembrokeshire holiday park’s plans were initially approved by councillors in late 2023 before a successful court challenge was brought by a residents’ groupRobert Harries Senior Reporter, Bruce Sinclair and Local Democracy Reporter
18:09, 11 Sep 2025
A £6m expansion of Heritage Park in Pembrokeshire is proposed(Image: Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Fresh proposals to substantially expand a Welsh holiday park are set to be determined following a site inspection by planners after a High Court ruling overturned a previous council decision to go ahead with the plans.
In late 2023 councillors backed a controversial application from Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd for a development including 48 holiday lodge pitches, a spa at a former public house, holiday flats, a café and bicycle rental facility, horse riding stables, a manège, and related office space at Heritage Park in Stepaside, Pembrokeshire.
The proposal, situated adjacent to the historic remnants of the 19th century Stepaside ironworks and colliery, was projected to generate 44 employment opportunities. Read the biggest stories in Wales first by signing up to our daily newsletter.
The ultimate determination was reached at a full council meeting after planning committee members had on two occasions backed the development despite officer recommendations for rejection, grounded in the local development plan, which included the location being beyond a settlement boundary.
Following that consent, a successful court challenge was brought by Stepaside & Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group (SPVRG Ltd), who had opposed the initial proposal.
A March High Court session overseen by Judge Jarman KC found against the council’s determination, overturning the approval and stating “the reason given by the council did not deal adequately with the important principal issues of development in the countryside – sustainability and precedent”.
It stated the “major departure from countryside and sustainability policies is likely to have a lasting relevance for the question of policy in future cases” and the “council’s resolution [was] simply to endorse the resolution of the planning committee, which predated the fuller report of the head of planning to the council”.
Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd has now resubmitted a fresh application, through agent Lichfields, seeking to tackle concerns highlighted in the recent court ruling.
The proposal is set to be considered at Pembrokeshire council’s September planning committee meeting with officers once again recommending rejection.
In extensive documentation Lichfields argues “it is clear that members can reach a decision that is contrary to the development plan without setting a precedent”.
The firm added: “However, given that there remains a conflict with the plan policies, there is also a need to consider the nature of the 2024 scheme that comprise unique circumstances that mean that the decision would not set a precedent.”
Amroth Community Council has maintained its opposition to the proposal while planning officers have recommended rejection on comparable grounds to before.
They warned that “attaching significant weight to the limited benefits of this scheme would set an undesirable precedent and would make it difficult for the council to resist similar proposals”.
After councillor Simon Hancock highlighted that many new members had joined the planning committee since a previous site meeting all members unanimously agreed to another such meeting.
The application will return to a future committee for decision.