Plans for an adventure tourism hub in Pembrokeshire, ruled by a high court judge to have been granted unlawfully following a legal challenge, are due to be heard again by the National Park next year.

Back in 2024, the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority’s development management committee approved an application by Adventure Beyond Ltd for an outdoor adventure centre, and associated works at The Old Bus Depot, Moylegrove.

The application had been before multiple meetings of PCNPA’s development management committee; the plot originally used as a bus depot by the founder of the Richards Bros bus company.

Concerns were raised about the scheme, including by local community council Nevern, and opponents feared that increased business for adventure firms will worsen the plight of birds and animals including seals.

Following that approval, a high court challenge was brought by Wild Justice, who claimed the scheme would see nesting birds and breeding seals disturbed by ‘noisy’ coasteers.

But Jet Moore, of Adventure Beyond, insisted that the company had been ‘key’ in developing codes of conduct to ensure wildlife safety.

In September Hon Mr Justice Eyre ruled the National Park Authority’s decision was unlawful as a position statement and 2024 survey of breeding birds published by Natural Resources Wales had not been made available beforehand.

The judge also agreed that the management committee had not been properly informed about the impact of the development on the Aberath-Carreg Wylan SSSI, including the potential for coasteering activities to disturb the chough, for which the SSSI is designated.

On that basis planning permission was quashed and the application will need to be re-determined if the development is to go ahead.

Ceibwr Bay forms part of the Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC), the Pembrokeshire Marine SAC, the West Wales Marine SAC and a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and is home to nesting razorbill, guillemot, fulmar, herring gull, chough and kestrel.

Nearby sea caves are recognised pupping areas for grey seals and otters frequent the bay.

Wild Justice argued that an adventure centre would increase recreational activity, such as coasteering and kayaking.

Giving his reaction, Mr Moore claimed objectors had ‘caused more disturbance [to nesting birds] than we ever have’.

At the October meeting of the national park’s development management committee, members received an overview of the judgement, hearing resubmitted plans were expected.

In an update given just before the Christmas break, a spokesperson from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority said: “We will be bringing the Moylegrove application back for redetermination in 2026 but do not have a definite date for that yet.”