A Pembrokeshire council trial scheme for an overnight motorhome and campervan parking site close to Fishguard’s ferry is to go ahead, but is not likely to start before September at the earliest.

A trial scheme for overnight motorhome parking facilities at the Goodwick Moor car park, The Parrog, was mooted last year after a February 2024 council Cabinet-backed trial scheme for ‘Pembs Stop’ campervan and motorhomes facilities at four car parks was later dropped.

It had initially been agreed that car parks at North Beach, Tenby; Goodwick Moor, Goodwick; Townsmoor, Narberth; and Western Way, Pembroke Dock would form the trial areas operating year-round at £10 a night for a trial 18-month period, with the intention not to create ‘campsites’.

That planned trial received national coverage, with a discussion on a phone-in programme on BBC Radio Wales.

Local tourism businesses had said the proposals will harm them, and concerns about the trial were also raised by the official tourism industry group for Pembrokeshire, Visit Pembrokeshire.

Following that, a special council scrutiny committee meeting was held last April where the scheme was overwhelmingly rejected; a later September 2024 Cabinet agreeing to not proceed with the scheme but instead trial an overnight stopover facility for motorhomes at Goodwick Moor car park, linked to the ferry port.

A formal planning application for a conditional change of use of the Goodwick Moor Car Park scheme for a two-year trial period was later submitted by the council.

Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council has objected to the application, raising concerns of noise nuisance to residents and other users, a lack of provision of facilities for overnight motorhome/campervans, saying the proposal would have an adverse impact on existing businesses and residents, a loss of community amenity, a loss of evening car parking facility for existing community groups, and poor road surfacing.

An officer report at the July 29 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee, which recommended approval, says the scheme would see no physical changes to the car park but would “allow for certain vehicles to stay for one single overnight stay,” and would “regulate the existing activities of overnight stays which already occur on the site”.

Approval of the scheme was moved by Cllr John Cole, a motorhome owner himself, who said it was “about time our car parks were opened for such use,” adding: “It’s nice to see we are looking into this, I hope it will extend to other car parks in the area.”

Members were told that, if approved, it was not expected the scheme would begin any earlier than September, with next summer effectively being the first proper trial period, with spaces on a “first-come-first served” basis.

Committee chair Cllr Mark Carter raised concerns about the scheme before members, saying he was “uncomfortable” with a lack of any information on a management plan being available to committee members and raising concerns about any enforcement needed.

The recommendation of conditional approval for a temporary two-year period was passed by 11 votes, with three abstentions.