Plans for five homes in Pembroke, which saw objections from the local town council, have been refused due to a lack of information on possible impacts on the water quality of the Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Aylesbury-based Visionary Developments Ltd, through agent Sureline Design Services Ltd, sought permission for the construction of five detached residential dwelling houses with a private shared drive on land adjacent to ‘The Crest’, Golden Hill, Pembroke.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said the land, adjacent to Golden Hill Road in Pembroke and was formerly part of the garden of ‘The Crest,’ a detached dormer bungalow.

It added: “The applicant is committed to reducing the environmental impact of the project. Material wastage on site is to be minimised by thoughtful design (for example, floor to ceiling heights based on the height of plasterboard sheets). Embodied energy of materials is to be considered, with energy used for extraction, manufacture and transport of materials weighed against the estimated lifespan, maintenance inputs and end-of-life costs. Materials are to be sourced locally wherever possible.”

Pembroke Town Council objected to the scheme, raising concerns of overdevelopment, also saying it had “grave concerns that flooding will occur from the natural springs that are on site,” and described the entrance to and from the site as “very dangerous, with no clear line of vision or pavements leading up”.

It went on to say: “We also believe that conversations should take place between the county councillor of that ward, Councillor Jon Harvey [leader of the council and former member of the town council], who I do believe has visited the site, and suggest that this decision be decided by a planning committee, rather than an allocated officer.”

An officer report said three members of the public had also raised concerns including overdevelopment, impact on neighbours, highway safety, and no capacity to accommodate additional sewage.

The application was refused on the grounds it would result in a net gain of foul waste.

Officers added: “In light of the Condition Assessments for the Designated Features of Pembrokeshire Marine Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Report No. 090, prepared by Natural Resources Wales, June 2025 there is insufficient information available to demonstrate that the proposed development would not have an adverse impact on the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC from an increased impact from nitrates.”