A campaign group have taken action to try and ensure that public rights of way areas around a section of land at the Stepaside Heritage Park are formally recognised.

Last month, Stepaside and Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group (SPVRG) approached Amroth Community Council with evidence that there are various paths, two car parks and associated vehicle access roads within Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley which had been freely used by the public for a period well in excess of 20 years by 2007 when the lease was signed.

As such the group believes that they qualify under S31 of the Highways Act 1980 to be recognised as public rights of way by deemed dedication.

SPVRG have stated that the latest Heritage Park planning application, and a further application which is at the pre-planning stage aim to do away with a footpath and one of the car parks, replacing them with static caravans, and spoiling the view of a beautiful ancient monument.

“Recent planning applications submitted by the caravan park owner at the Heritage Park, Pleasant Valley make clear his intention to to try to expand into the adjoining greenfield areas around the site - Stepaside and Pleasant Valley Residents’ Group was formed in 2019 by local residents to resist this,” said SPVRG secretary Alec Cormack.

Ben Morris, chair of SPVRG continued: “The action we have taken, in conjunction with Amroth Community Council in the last week will help regain and retain the public footpaths and car parks at the Heritage Park that have been enjoyed by generations of local residents and visitors over many decades.”

SPVRG was formed last year by local residents to oppose the expansion of the Heritage Park in Pleasant Valley.

The group, with well over 100 members, has raised awareness locally of the issue and their campaigning added to the general level of resistance to the expansion plans which forced a major planning application to be withdrawn in March.

Their mantra during campaigning has been ‘keep Pleasant Valley pleasant’.

90 local people completed SPVRG’s recent online survey detailing their historic use of the footpaths and car parks at the Heritage Park since the 1970s onwards.

From these Mr. Morris selected a sample of 10 people to make signed declarations, which were forwarded to Amroth Community Council, whose members at their meeting on July 23 voted unanimously to support the SPVRG claim, and this week made a formal request to the Highways Authority - Pembrokeshire County Council to formally recognise these rights of way.

One of the footpaths being claimed, which goes from the north car park across the grass direct to the ancient monument buildings, has in recent years, been partially obstructed by a fence.

SPVRG members and supporters are pictured stood marking out the track of the footpath across the grass.