The siting of a new hospital in the Narberth area would be a huge benefit economically to the locality, a local county councillor has stated.
People from communities across the area recently had the chance to help assess five sites in Carmarthenshire and Pembrokeshire, as part of a wider process by Hywel Dda Health Board to identify a location for a new Planned and Urgent Care Hospital.
All the sites considered are in a zone between and including St Clears and Narberth, with the zone agreed following a consultation in 2018, the most central location for the majority of the population in the south of the Hywel Dda area, according to the Health Board.
The sites being considered are as follows:
• Agricultural land and buildings forming part of Kiln Park Farm which is located to the north of Narberth train station and adjacent to the A478, approximately 1km to the north-east of Narberth town centre
• Agricultural land and buildings forming part of Ty Newydd Farm which is located to the east of the Old Whitland Creamery site and Whitland town centre.
• Agricultural land and buildings forming part of Penllyne Court located between Whitland and St Clears just outside Pwll-Trap.The site lies between the Swansea-Haverfordwest railway line to the north and the A40 to the south.
• Agricultural land at old Bryncaerau fields, located adjacent to the junction of the A40 and A477 in St Clears, between the A4066 (Tenby Road) to the south, the village of Pwll Trap to the north and the A40 to the west.
According to Hywel Dda, the new hospital would bring together the Accident and Emergency Departments and acute medical care from Withybush and Glangwili hospitals.
The Health Board has stated that the establishment of a new hospital is a fundamental part of the authority’s wider plans, which also include providing more community integrated care centres and services closer to people’s homes.
Reporting to members of Narberth Town Council, at their meeting this month, the Urban ward’s County Councillor, Marc Tierney said: “Narberth is one of five shortlisted sites for the proposed new West Wales hospital, part of a £1.3billion investment into healthcare.
“This is a huge opportunity and whilst the odds are slightly stacked against Narberth because of the two sites noted for St Clears and Whitland, there is huge potential for Narberth to benefit economically,” he added.