Our Pembrokeshire case in the courts
Community thoughts on the Judicial Review of the Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park Authority (PCNPA) planning decision to approve an outdoor activity adventure hub at Moylgrove.
By Gill Lewis and Dagmarr Moore
This judicial review has been a milestone date in the diary for the majority of the residents of Moylgrove. Our community has been raising concerns for over a decade about the detrimental impact that coasteering is having upon the integrity of this Special Area of Conservation and SSSI. We felt that our voices were not being heard, and we were thrilled that Wild Justice joined our fight and sought a judicial review of the planning decision for the adventure hub.
Many of us had not experienced a courtroom and were a little surprised to have to form a long orderly queue to have our bags checked airport-style, even having to surrender make-up mirrors and toothpaste to the security guard. It was good that some residents could join online, as those of us present filled the seats in the courtroom. It was also great to have the support of the community council and a local wildlife expert.
We were incredibly grateful to Dr Mark Avery and Lucy Lapwing from Wild Justice, and the legal team from Leigh Day for making the long trip to Haverfordwest. We hope they had some time to enjoy the sea and the sunshine. We felt truly privileged and humbled to have David Wolfe KC, one of the UK’s leading barristers, fighting our corner. We were in awe of his ability to have all the facts at his fingertips and to argue the case and points of law with such clarity and depth. Together with his colleague barrister Barney McCay, they worked at lightning speed with meticulous attention to detail, juggling files, documents and arguments. Post-it notes flew between them – thoughts flying from one brilliant mind to another.
Whilst the Judicial Review was argued on points of lawfulness of the planning decision in October 2024, everyone in the community was very aware that the mitigating measures referred to in the Habitats Regulations Assessment have not been implemented prior to the planning decision, as there have been multiple incidents of trespass, wildlife disturbance and disrespect to the community by the adventure sector in the past. The mitigating measures also appear not to be working for this current 2025 season, and we understand that an adventure provider is not even signed up to the secret concordat yet continues to cross National Trust land to gain access to coasteer and trespass knowingly on private land and designated nesting sites, breaching the Pembrokeshire Marine Code of Conduct and causing disturbance to birds.
The group representing the community (Cymdeithas Trewyddel) met with PCNP, NRW, National Trust and Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum in March 2025 and were shown a proposed site guide for coasteering at Ceibwr. We were very concerned to see differing and shorter nesting dates for given for Ceibwr compared the National Trust and PCNP guidance, which would allow coasteering in the Easter and Summer school holidays. Also worrying were agreed routes permitted all year on designated nesting sites and seal pupping sites. We have asked to know the relevant expertise of the authors involved in creating these site guides for all of Pembrokeshire, and if any environmental impact assessments have been undertaken, but have received no response as yet.
We await the decision of the Judicial Review with apprehension, as Ceibwr provides a litmus test. We believe the authorities have been failing the wildlife at Ceibwr. But will the points of law be sufficient to protect this bay, a triple SAC and SSSI? The outcome could determine the protection of all sites across Pembrokeshire, Wales and nationally. To ensure we protect and enhance biodiversity in Wales and reach the 30×30 targets set by government, this is not a fight we can afford to lose.
Read a blog summarising the background of this case, written by Gill Lewis, here.