A plan for a major development at Pembroke Dock port was approved by Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee this week.

The proposals submitted by the Port of Milford Haven was deferred from PCC’s April planning committee meeting for a site visit.

The Port of Milford Haven submitted one planning application, three listed building application and one conservation area application all related to its masterplan for the haven waterway and the Pembroke Dock Marine, Swansea Bay City Deal project.

Separate listed building applications for the infill of the dockyard’s timber pond and graving dock, including the removal and restoration of a caisson.

Supporting documents with the applications state that the two historic sites will be covered with a protective layer of sand before granular fill is put in and a building located partially on top.

The overall plans include the creation of a single large slipway, infilling of the graving dock and timber pond, demolition of various unlisted buildings in a conservation area, provision of large areas of hardstanding where buildings could be created for business, erection of buildings for the assembly, manufacturing and repair of vessels and devices, areas and buildings for the importation and storage of goods and raw materials for fabrication activities.

At Tuesday (May 18) morning’s meeting Committee members decided the balance of the application favoured economic development subject to conditions regarding aspects of the site’s preservation and its ability to be restored in the future.

The meeting heard that the site visit had given members a clearer idea about what was planned and the scale of the project.

While the approval of the scheme was unanimous, the height and size of the proposed new sheds which would be built at a later phase of the project, caused members some concerns.

As such, an amendment which would approve the project and delegate reserved matters to officers apart from the construction of the sheds was passed, which would allow this element of the application to return to the Committee to decide the detailed application relating to them.

The outline application will require the final sign off from Welsh Government before it can go ahead.