A PETITION calling on Pembrokeshire County Council to halt a proposed road realignment scheme at a coastal village, and instead look at a cheaper alternative scheme, has been launched.
A public consultation was recently launched ahead of a formal Pembrokeshire County Council application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park for Phase 1 of the Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project, which would see the development of a new inland section of road with bridge over Brandy Brook some 2.3km inland, to replace the coastal section of A487 at Newgale that will be closed and removed, among other works.
Varied claims have been made about the cost of this scheme, from £20m upwards, with some saying it could cost as much as £60m, with millions spent on consultation fees to date.
Newgale was hit hard by flooding following storms in early 2014 storms, and later by Storm Dennis in 2020.
In 2014 it even saw a visit by the-then Prime Minister David Cameron, as part of a tour of the UK to “learn lessons” following storms and flooding that year.
In 2018, Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet backed a recommendation, long-term, for an inland highway link for the A487.
A supporting statement through agent AtkinsRéalis says a 2020 report commissioned by Pembrokeshire County Council into coastal change at Newgale concluded “that continued efforts to maintain the shingle ridge as a defence is highly likely to be unsustainable beyond 2035, more realistically by 2030,” adding: “Early action is required before the road becomes impassable and unsafe.”
However, opponents have said the costs associated with the 2014 flooding incident – which they say was a flooding incident rather than the effects of climate change – would cost less for 3,000 years’ worth of clear-ups than the new road scheme.
An alternative scheme has been proposed by STUN – Stand Up for Newgale, who have accused AtkinsRéalis and Pembrokeshire County Council of misleading the public over the need for the new Newgale bypass.
It says that by using photos of “the only major flood Newgale has ever had,” in 2014, they are “over-dramatising” and “using shock tactics” designed “to scare people into supporting an unnecessary £40-60 million new road, which, if built would cause devastation to Newgale’s ecology and local countryside and would be a blight on the iconic Brandy Brook valley through which the new road would pass”.
STUN’s alternative scheme would, it says, be an “alternative low-cost solution to counter any threat from the sea that will protect Newgale for at least 85 – 100 years”.
STUN’s alternative proposes a section of the shingle bank at Newgale be realigned 10-12 metres to the seaward leaving an over wash barrier between it and the A487 to capture any pebbles and sea water.
It has also linked the proposed road realignment scheme to a proposed US military DARC Radar Array, which would involve the construction of 27 Deep Space Radars, each 21 metres tall at Cawdor Barracks, Brawdy, above Newgale, which it says could not go ahead without the new road in place due to the high levels of lorry traffic DARC’s construction and operation would involve.
STUN has said: “Newgale is a jewel in the crown of our tourism rich peninsular, so why is there such determination to waste £60 million of taxpayers money on a completely unnecessary road which would only ever potentially benefit a US military base, and from which the ecology and wildlife of Brandy Brook could never recover?”
The council proposals have encountered strong opposition, including local Senedd member Paul Davies MS, who said it was “ill conceived,” with STUN’s alternative less invasive and one that would “save the council, and local taxpayers, huge amounts of money”.
A petition has now been launched opposing the Newgale coastal realignment scheme.
It says: “We believe that the current plan—estimated to cost between £25–£40 million, with consultation fees already exceeding £4 million—requires further scrutiny, transparency, and public engagement.
“At this stage, we call for a thorough consideration of STUN’s (Stand up for Newgale) alternative scheme, or at the very least, a pause on current proceedings until all viable options have been fully explored.
“The Brandy Brook Valley is an ecologically sensitive and historically significant landscape. Routing a major road through this area risks irreversible damage to its unique natural character, habitats, and community heritage.
“This is not just a financial concern—it is a matter of protecting our shared environment, ensuring community voices are heard, and making responsible, future-facing decisions for Pembrokeshire.
“We respectfully request that Pembrokeshire County Council takes immediate action to:
- Pause the current development of the Newgale route.
- Open a transparent review of all alternative proposals, including STUN’s plan.
- Engage in meaningful consultation with local communities, experts, and stakeholders.”
STUN has launched a Crowdfunder aimed at funding its alternative planning application.
The Pembrokeshire County Council proposals have been previously costed at £20m.
The Pre-application Consultation runs until May 11, with plans available online; comments may be sent to [email protected] or by post: Newgale Coastal Adaptation Project Team, AtkinsRéalis, Floor 4, West Glamorgan House, 12 Orchard Street, Swansea, SA1 5AD.
