A fire-ravaged hotel in Pembroke Dock is set to be transformed into affordable homes following plans for its demolition. The Cleddau Bridge Hotel, which has remained abandoned since a fire destroyed the building in March 2019, will make way for 35 affordable homes as part of a joint development project between Castell Group Property Specialists and Pembrokeshire County Council.
The hotel had closed its doors in January 2018, resulting in 40 staff members losing their jobs. The Kullar Hotel Group, owners of the hotel at the time, attributed the closure to a decline in tourism and reduced trade following the shutdown of the nearby Murco oil refinery in Milford Haven. The fire that struck the hotel in 2019 was determined to have been started deliberately by Mid and West Wales Fire and Rescue Service, although Dyfed-Powys Police later stated that there was insufficient evidence to identify a suspect.
A pre-application consultation for the proposed development is scheduled to commence next week. The plans involve demolishing the remaining structure of the hotel to make way for two-storey affordable housing units. The initial proposal outlined 38 affordable units, but this number has been revised down to 35, comprising of a mix of one, two, three, and four-bedroom units.
The development plans, submitted through agent Hayston Developments and Planning Ltd, aim to address the housing needs in the area and utilise the vacant site effectively. The consultation period began on September 18 and is set to conclude on October 18, following which a formal application will be submitted to the council for consideration.
The partnership between Castell Group and the local council signifies a positive step towards repurposing the fire-damaged hotel site to benefit the community with much-needed affordable housing options. The transformation of the Cleddau Bridge Hotel into affordable homes not only revitalises the derelict property but also provides a sustainable solution to address housing challenges in the region, contributing to the local area’s regeneration and development.