Call to end financial contributions associated with Bluestone Resort submitted to National Park

A CALL to end a legal agreement for financial contributions associated with the creation of Pembrokeshire’s Bluestone National Park Resort has been submitted to the national park.

In a submitted application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planners on behalf of Bluestone Resorts Ltd, legal firm Red Kite Ltd asks for a cessation of a previous Section 106 legal agreement.

In a supporting statement, it says: “In 2004, a legal agreement was discussed and reached in 2008 with interested parties including Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, and Sir Edward Dashwood to take forward the development of Bluestone National Park Resort.

“This was a public rights of way Section 106 agreement, which is a common agreement made with local authorities and developers throughout the UK to deliver acceptable planning terms.

“In this case, the money has been used to pay towards various projects including enhancements to footpaths and bridges. This arrangement included a payment of £75 per annum index linked to the number of accommodation units at the resort.”

It says most agreements of this type are time limited, and “today such an arrangement without a time-frame would likely not be considered acceptable by either side”.

“However, no such end date was placed on this one. More recently, it was agreed between the parties that the payments would cease in 2025, also known as a ‘statement of common ground.’ This is why a formal agreement now has to be made by each of the parties involved.”

The statement says that, since the agreement was made, Bluestone has paid nearly £280,000 through the agreement, adding: “As part of the Statement of Common Ground, it was agreed by Pembrokeshire County Council, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority and Bluestone that a final fee of £113,000 would be paid, spread over 2023, 2024, and 2025 in annual payments of £38,000.”

The statement says the 500-acre Bluestone resort near Narberth has, since its opening, contributed to “more than £100 million to local suppliers, £7 million annually into the local supply chain, £13 million annually into the Pembrokeshire economy through its payroll, and more than £1.5 million spent annually on marketing Bluestone and Pembrokeshire”.

It also says a later £24m ‘Phase 4’ investment at Bluestone, for a ‘Platinum Lodge’ development of 80 units alone led to a one-off payment of £87,516, which supported an extension to a multi-user path between the A4075 and the A40, along with works to a bridge.

The application will be considered at a later date.