Proposed housing for the homeless at the site of a former Haverfordwest school will not be used for asylum seekers despite comments circulating on social media, senior Pembrokeshire councillors have heard.

At the July 7 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to back the early stages of a proposal to locate up to 30 modular homes over two phases at the former Mount Airey school site, Augustine Way.

In a report, Cabinet Member for Housing Cllr Michelle Bateman, said: “Mount Airey primary school has been vacant since 2022. There have been incidences of vandalism and entry to the building. The building structure includes asbestos, and recommendation is that the school needs to be demolished at the earliest opportunity.

“The proposal is to explore the opportunity to develop Modular Homes at Mount Airey due to the high level of one-bed need on the housing register, together with the continued high costs of B&B and continuing pressures to source suitable 1 bed Temporary Accommodation (TA) for the homeless.

At the July 7 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to back the early stages of a proposal to locate up to 30 modular homes over two phases at the former Mount Airey school site, Augustine Way.
At the July 7 meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, members were asked to back the early stages of a proposal to locate up to 30 modular homes over two phases at the former Mount Airey school site, Augustine Way. (PCC)

“It is recognised that in order to make significant inroads into reducing temporary accommodation costs, we need to continue to bring forward accommodation to reduce the reliance on B&Bs. The proposal is therefore to bring forward a meanwhile site of up to 30 one-bed (possibly few two-bed) self- contained modular homes over a two-year period from 2025-2027/8.”

It said costs of B&B and hostel accommodation left an annual ‘cost’ to the local authority of £1.865 million on its core budget.

Members heard a blend of grant and match funding would be required, with an estimated grant level of 63 per cent on a worst-case estimation total site development cost of £6 million, with the demolition and asbestos removal costs estimated at £280,000.

The report added: “It is recognised that such a development could raise concern with the local community; and if the proposal is agreed by cabinet it is our intention to carry out community drop in events to explain the proposal and to receive feedback from the local community residents.”

Backing Cllr Bateman’s move to approve the scheme, Cllr Alistair Cameron said: “This is for local people on the housing list, anybody who’s suggesting anything else is just being misleading.”

Leader Jon Harvey said: “I wouldn’t say they are swish, but they are certainly of a reasonable quality. It never fails to amaze me how you say it’s black and they say it’s white; there’s a lot of misinformation on the sphere of social media.”
PCC Leader Jon Harvey said: “I wouldn’t say they are swish, but they are certainly of a reasonable quality. It never fails to amaze me how you say it’s black and they say it’s white; there’s a lot of misinformation on the sphere of social media.” (PCC)

Cllr Bateman responded by saying they would be for people on the housing register despite online comments they would be used for asylum seekers, which comes under the Home Office not the local authority.

Leader Jon Harvey said: “I wouldn’t say they are swish, but they are certainly of a reasonable quality. It never fails to amaze me how you say it’s black and they say it’s white; there’s a lot of misinformation on the sphere of social media.”

Members backed officers proceeding with scoping the early stages of the proposal to locate up to 30 modular homes at the site, along with community consultation, with further cabinet decisions being required in accordance with financial procedure rules/contract procedure rules at the point of contract tender and award.