MOTORHOMES and campervans are at risk of having nowhere to park, after a popular tourist spot introduces £10 charge.
In what will be a huge blow to larger vehicle owners, a local authority appears set to significantly reduce motorhome parking, GB News reports.
Pembrokeshire County Council will consider a single overnight parking facility at Goodwick Moor car park next week.
This comes after the collapse of the broader initiative which would have established designated motorhome stops at four locations across the county.
This new scaled-back proposal marks a considerable reversal from previous plans launched by the council in February last year.
The measures aimed to create year-round facilities for larger vehicles by charging £10 per night at sites in Tenby, Narberth and Pembroke Dock alongside Goodwick.
The scheme attracted national attention but was rejected after fierce resistance from local tourism businesses.
The backlash stemmed from fears that the original proposals would damage their operations, with Visit Pembrokeshire being among those to express serious reservations.
This negativity resulted in the council choosing to scale back its plans and abandon the wider parking measures in September last year.
The authority has since opted to pursue a single overnight stopover facility at Goodwick Moor.
This stopover point is conveniently located near the Fishguard ferry terminal.
Council officers have recommended a conditional approval for a two-year trail period, noting that the proposal requires no physical alterations to the existing park.
Official council documents read: “A Management Plan has been provided in support of the application, and it states that the proposal would allow for one night stopover for Motorhomes / Campervans within certain areas of the car park for a trial period.
“The car park currently operates as a public car park, which has seen a significant growth in Motorhomes using the facility.
“However, the primary use of the site would continue as a car park, while regulating the overnight stays.”
Officers hope that the scheme will “regulate existing activities” in an acknowledgement that overnight stays often already occur at the site.
However, Fishguard and Goodwick Town Council has formally objected to the application, raising multiple concerns about the scheme’s impact on residents and local businesses.
Councillors worry that the proposal will have a negative impact on local businesses and residents, and also cause a loss of evening parking for those who use the facility.
Also, the council’s own Pollution Control Team raised concerns, initially recommending refusal.
It cited “a history of complaints associated with this particular location where it has been utilised for overnight parking of Heavy Goods Vehicles.”
However, the site’s designation as employment land under the Local Development Plan presents a policy conflict, as the area is allocated for business and storage uses rather than tourism facilities.
Council officers acknowledged this breach but argued that the temporary nature of the proposal wouldn’t prevent future employment development, particularly given that no detailed employment schemes have emerged since the plan’s adoption in 2013.
The council document added: “The development would predominantly remain a car park but would enable users of certain vehicles the option to stay overnight.
“The proposal includes the installation of bins and updates to signage to facilitate the development, which are minor and could be installed under the permitted development rights afforded to the applicant.”
The Sun has reached out to Pembrokeshire County Council for further comment.
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