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New homes spark beach sewage spill fears

Aled Scourfield
BBC News
BBC Kate Freeman is standing on the beach looking at the camera. Her long, blonde hair is being caught in the wind and she is wearing a red fluffy jumper. The sea can be seen in the background along with with the cliffs above. BBC
Swimmer Kate Freeman is concerned about sewage in St Brides Bay

Plans to build 76 new homes overlooking a seaside resort could make pollution problems worse, say opponents.

Mill Bay Homes want to build apartments and houses near Marine Parade in Broad Haven, Pembrokeshire including some affordable housing.

Swimmers claim sewage spills in to local rivers and the sea often prevents them from swimming in St Brides Bay.

Mill Bay Homes said they were committed to protecting the environment and would fund improvements to sewage infrastructure.

Swimmer Kate Freeman raised concerned about the impact of pollution on water quality.

"Swimming is very popular, but there is quite often a problem with sewage, especially when the weather's been bad," she said.

"There needs to be more houses for people but the sewage treatment infrastructure needs to improve before that happens."

Kate Evans also swims in St Brides Bay and says improvements are needed.

"We need houses for people but it comes down to the water companies taking responsibility. It's illogical, if it's already not working, to build more on top," she added.

Kate Evans smiles at the camera. She is stood on the beach with the sea and wet sand behind her, wearing a blue jacket and big pink scarf.
Kate Evans says there needs to be more sewage treatment capacity

The latest data available from Welsh Water shows the nearby sewage treatment works discharged sewage for almost 602 hours in 2023, with a total of 47 spills.

Sewage was also discharged from Broad Haven South beach for a total of 53 hours in 2023, with 21 separate spills recorded.

Environmental consultant Andy Drumm, who lives in Broad Haven, has written to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority to express concerns about the plans.

He said: "In recent years there has been quite a lot of additional housing development in the village but the sewage treatment works has not kept up.

"We're getting more and more frequent dumps and leaks of raw sewage into the stream that flows onto the beach here. Any increase in housing has to be accompanied by an increase in sewage treatment capacity."

Mill Bay Homes said measures would be "put in place to mitigate any additional pressures" on the existing sewage system and that they would "fully fund improvement works to the sewage infrastructure".

Andy Drumm faces the camera. He has grey hair and glasses and is wearing a blue coat. In the background can be seen the beach and a large white building, although out of focus.
Andy Drumm claims the local sewage works is already "overstretched".

Mr Drumm also raised concerns about plans to capture rain water run-off from the new housing development in an "attenuation pond" near a community nature reserve called the Slash Pond.

He said: "It is an oasis of woodland and water and is a critically important habitat for wildlife.

"They want to clear scrub woodland and install an attenuation pond to receive all the run-off from the housing estate, and drain it into the Slash Pond. There have been no studies carried out on the aquatic impact that will result from this."

Mill Bay Homes said the water collected in the attenuation pond would be "naturally filtered" and "reduce the risk of future flooding".

Cllr Nick Neumann
Councillor Nick Neumann has called for investment by Welsh Water

A pre-application consultation on the plans has been held by Asbri Planning on behalf of Mill Bay Homes.

A formal planning application will be submitted to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority. The authority wants around 34% of the homes to affordable.

Local councillor Nick Neumann said he was "really supportive" of more affordable housing for local people but added it was important there were "no adverse effects on existing communities, landscape and environment".

"I would urge Dwr Cymru [Welsh Water] to really double down on this and invest more," he said

Welsh Water said it had not yet been "formally consulted" on the plans but had offered "pre planning advice" to the agents for Mill Bay Homes.

The company said a "hydraulic modelling assessment" was required but there was "sufficient capacity" at the local waste water treatment works "to accommodate the foul flows" from the development.