Pembrokeshire County Council has confirmed that it has opened an ‘enforcement investigation’ in regard to a development in Penally, with claims that a landfill site is being operated unlawfully from the land, leading to pollution concerns in the locality.

Concerns have been raised by members of the community that ‘destructive work’ has been carried out on the land opposite the top of Strawberry Lane for a number of years.

Pembrokeshire County Council has now confirmed that the site is currently the subject of an ongoing planning enforcement investigation and that a breach of planning control has indeed been identified.

Cllr Michael Williams, County Councillor for Tenby’s North ward, which neighbours the village of Penally, stated: “This situation is completely unacceptable, and I have been pursuing the matter for a number of years.

“We are witnessing the rape and destruction of an area of land that should be protected and the Planning Authority is failing in its duties.”

Local resident and former County Councillor for the ward, Jon Preston has written to the locality’s current County Councillor Cllr Phill Kidney on the matter.

“Whilst I was the local member for Penally I reported concerning activity at this site to PCC’s Planning Department during the Spring of 2021.

“I was advised at the time that they would investigate and monitor the situation. Up until May 2022 I was in touch with Planning Enforcement and provided them with photographs of the build up of caravans and vehicles on the site.

Penally landfill site
“I have never seen such extensive work carried out on land without a robust legal challenge from PCC,” said resident Jon Preston (JP)

“Over the last three years the situation has now escalated to a point where the land is being used and worked upon seemingly without any of the regulatory planning processes being adhered to.

“If this is deemed as Major Earthworks then I believe it would fall under the scope of Engineering Operations which undoubtedly would require full planning permission.

“I have never seen such extensive work carried out on land without a robust legal challenge from PCC,” he added.

A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire County Council told the Observer: “The Council's Planning Department has served an Enforcement Notice on the landowner, requiring the cessation of the unauthorised use of the site and the removal of materials currently present. The landowner has exercised their right of appeal against the notice.

“As a result, the Enforcement Notice is suspended pending determination of the appeal by Planning and Environment Decisions Wales (PEDW), and no further action can be taken under that notice until the appeal process has concluded.

“The Planning Department has also been made aware of more recent activity at the site. These matters are currently being investigated and, if further breaches of planning control are identified, the Council will consider what additional enforcement action may be appropriate.

“Council officers are liaising with Natural Resources Wales (NRW) in relation to the recent activity on the site to ensure that all relevant concerns are fully considered as part of the ongoing investigations.

“As this remains a live enforcement matter, the Council is unable to comment further at this stage,” they added.