A planning application submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council would double the size of the Heritage Park, located at the Old Iron Works in Pleasant Valley, Stepaside - say a group that have raised objections to the proposals.

The proposed development submitted by Heritage Leisure Development (Wales) Ltd comprises of - 75 holiday lodges, spa facility, 4 holiday apartments, warden’s accommodation, café, cycle hire, stables for 12 horses, ménage, office, rebuilding of Plum Tree Hall, 2 residential garages, with related infrastructure and engineering works, including a new one-way system for the spa; in via Bryn Beudy and out via what is currently a narrow footpath onto Pleasant Valley Road.

Residents of the area have had several meetings in recent weeks, with the ‘Stepaside and Pleasant Valley Residents Group’ formed earlier this month in order to collate and present objections from the community to the planning application.

The Chair of the group’s committee, Ben Morris said: “Residents in the area seem unaware of the size and impact that this development represents. However, the activities of the SPVRG have resulted in the number of its members growing day by day.

“Residents have few issues with the existing Heritage Park which is run well and professionally. But the proposed development is seen as serious over-development which will change the whole character of the valley, and will swamp the village itself.

“It will significantly impair residents’ and visitors’ enjoyment of this wonderful area now and for future generations.

“There is potential in the future, for the ownership of the Heritage Park to come under a different management that may not be as high quality.

“The scale of this development is huge and complex, as will be the impact on the whole community. It will cover significant chunks of both sides of the valley and the valley floor (a floodplain). It will produce significant rise in traffic on narrow roads which are already difficult to pass in several places,” he continued.

“This is likely to cause more accidents, blockages and congestion, and potentially threaten access for Emergency Service vehicles. The footpaths, including the very popular and widely known Old Dramway will be much more congested with people, dogs, cyclists and horses, with associated droppings, with inevitable conflicts.

“The environmental impact will be huge, with the loss of trees and wildlife, including bats, dormice, and a wide variety of birdlife, herons, dippers, woodpeckers, owls, etc. The peacocks that have graced Pleasant Valley for years have already mysteriously disappeared. Mitigating proposals (tree planting, bat boxes and the like) are unlikely to retain wildlife. New saplings will not make up for the loss of mature trees.

“The development would mean the loss of a public car park, and moving a stream side walkway to become a pavement next to a 60 mph section of road.

“There are safety issues from mining works underneath various parts of the proposed development which a study shows potentially dangerous risks. There would also be an increased threat of flooding and sewage overflow in an area already subject to significant flash flooding and where there is no mains drainage,” he added.

The SPVRG committee will send an extensive response document to Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning department and have asked to make a presentation to the Planning Committee when they consider the proposal.

They also invite interested parties to submit individual responses online at: http://reply.spvrg.wales by October 22.

The full official planning application documents can be accessed at http://pcc.spvrg.wales