The Mayor of Pembroke Dock Town Council has stated his ‘disappointment’ at the decision from Natural Resources Wales to grant Milford Haven Port Authority a permit to run a controversial waste transfer station within Pembroke Dock.

Natural Resources Wales (NRW) has granted the environmental permit for a waste storage and transfer station at Pembroke Dock, with to Milford Haven Port Authority planning to temporarily store non-hazardous baled waste and loose wood waste on its yard before it is shipped offsite for use as fuel in offsite energy from waste facilities.

The decision follows a thorough assessment of the company’s plans, which has included consultations with local people, businesses and professional bodies such as Public Health Wales and Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service.

Pembroke Dock’s Mayor, Clr. Gordon Goff commented: “Pembroke Dock is not the right place to store transport mixed household and commercial waste and I hope that the required planning permissions will provide the opportunity to object and raise concerns with regards to the location of the proposed site which is within metres of housing, visitor attractions, a hospital for people with terminal illnesses and food and drink establishments within Pembroke Dock”.

The Town Council had recently sent a letter to the board of directors of the Port Authority requesting that they put a stop to the project as the scale of the potential benefits to the town in terms of the ongoing success to the Port did not seem to outweigh the very real risk to the community.

The response received stated that they felt they could not stop this activity before it had started but were aware that any development in this sector needed to balance the immediate term opportunity with longer term strategic development in Pembroke Dock.

NRW said the company had demonstrated that it can meet all the legal, environmental and health requirements of UK, Welsh and European law to receive a permit and operate the waste site.

“We have closely scrutinised Milford Haven Port Authority’s plans, and taken on board all relevant information that has been provided to us through our consultations,” said Gavin Bown, operations manager from NRW.

“The company has demonstrated that they have the right plans and procedures in place to run this site safely.

“We want to reassure people that the conditions we have placed in the permit are there to safeguard people and the environment.

“Before they can start accepting waste they will need to secure planning permission, and other permissions from organisations such as Dwr Cymru Welsh Water.

“Once they start running the site, they will need to abide by our permit conditions to run their site legally. The site will also be closely regulated by our officers to make sure it operates within the conditions of its environmental permit,” he added.