Scheme for overnight motorhome and campervan stays in tourist hotspots' car parks scrapped

Bruce Sinclair, local democracy reporter

A scheme for overnight motorhome and campervan stays at council car parks in a popular holiday location has been scrapped.

Members of Pembrokeshire Council’s Cabinet had backed proposals in February for the trial of a scheme dubbed ‘Pembs Stop’ at four car parks: North Beach, Tenby; Goodwick Moor, Goodwick; Townsmoor, Narberth; and Western Way, Pembroke Dock.

The plan was for an 18 month trial where drivers could park up for up to two nights at a time, paying just £10 a night.

The planned trial received national media coverage, and was welcomed by the motorhome and campervan community.

But local tourism businesses claimed the plans would harm them. Concerns about the trial were also raised by the official tourism industry group for Pembrokeshire, Visit Pembrokeshire.

Subsequently a special council scrutiny committee meeting was held in April where the scheme was overwhelmingly rejected. A Cabinet, meeting today (9 September) backed the recommendation not to  proceed with the scheme.

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Ferry port 

It will instead trial an overnight stopover facility for motorhomes at Goodwick Moor car park, linked to the Fishguard ferry port, an idea which had gained some potential support at the April meeting.

That stopover facility for one night at a time rather than a previous report recommendation of two nights, will be at £10 a night, 7pm-9am, the trial running for an 18-month period.

Presenting the report to Cabinet, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said the scheme would initially be run at the Goodwick car park from March 1 of next year.

He also told members the trial scheme could be extended to include Pembroke Dock’s Western Way car park later next year.

'Regularise' 

Moving the recommendation, he said the proposed trial would “balance the needs of local businesses against that of camper van users,” adding that campervans were already using the car park at Goodwick, the proposal would allow the council the opportunity “to regularise and influence” the existing situation and would “direct people from parking inappropriately”.

Members were told some 1,000 campervans were estimated to use the facility annually, and the council would seek to “uncover lessons learned” from a similar trial in Snowdonia.

Concerns were raised by Cabinet Member for Planning & Regulatory Services Cllr Jacob Williams, who felt the rate could actually be higher, and feared the trial could create a “free-for-all when any number of vans could park there”.

He was told the Goodwick proposal was about “managing existing demand,” but “putting it on the map” could lead to extra usage.

The trial proposal was unanimously supported by Cabinet.

Council leader Cllr Jon Harvey said: “I think motorhomes are an important part of the tourism industry, to put this trial next to a ferry port seems to make a lot of sense to me.,” adding the reduction to one night was “probably a sensible way forward.”