CONSULTATION ON MARTELLO QUAYS DESIGNS IMMINENT

Preparations are under way for a major public consultation process which will result in detailed designs for the new Martello Quays development.

The news follows an announcement that detailed discussions over the last year to put in place legal, financial and land agreements are about to be completed, with paperwork due to be signed in July which will enable the developers to commission a technical team of architects and engineers to begin work.

The development is being supported by Milford Haven Port Authority, Pembrokeshire County Council, and the Welsh Development Agency. The group has selected Martello Quays Ltd as the developer after competitive tender, a company which has considerable experience of the type of development envisaged.

Ted Sangster, chief executive of the Port Authority, said that despite the length of time that had passed, no detailed design work had yet been started, and emphasised that public consultation would play an important part in the process when it did.

“The processes leading up to such a complex project are lengthy,” he said. “A large amount of up-front speculative investment is needed and all parties have been keen to minimise any risk from the outset by clearly defining what is expected and how it is to be delivered.

“The developers who have been chosen by the client group need these understandings in place before they invest a considerable sum in doing the essential work necessary to prepare, and submit a planning application of this nature.

“That time is now finally almost upon us, and the detailed design work - which will proceed with full public consultation - will be the next stage necessary as the only illustrative material so far has been the very early sketches prepared for the initial and well attended public presentation held in April 2004.

“That consultation underlined the importance all the parties involved attached to public consultation, but going out that early had inevitably raised everyone’s expectations about a start date.”

Pembrokeshire County Council’s director of development Roger Barrett-Evans said a start on the scheme was still some years off.

“Whilst the attitude of the developer is very positive, a lot more work is needed before we can finally guarantee it going ahead,” he said.

Mr Barrett-Evans said the scheme would be a huge boost for the town and the County and promised there would be the full and early consultation when the design work started.