The creation of a new food park to support and strengthen Pembrokeshire’s food and drink industry has taken a further step forward as significant infrastructure works near completion.
Pictured at the Pembrokeshire Food Park, where work is currently approaching the end of the first phase, are Cllr Paul Miller and site manager Shan McGarty from contractors G.D. Harries and Sons.
Located at Withybush Business Park, the Pembrokeshire Food Park will provide new production facilities for both existing businesses and start-ups, and increase their access to the market.
The European-funded project is being led by Pembrokeshire County Council and the Welsh Government.
Cllr Paul Miller, Cabinet Member with Responsibility for the Economy, Culture, Leisure and Tourism, welcomed the progress made and said Pembrokeshire Food Park would have a major impact on the local economy.
“The Food Park is an important part of our long standing aim to retain more of the added value from local food production,” he said.
“Pembrokeshire is already well known for its high quality, locally produced food.
“The Food Park will allow us to build on this reputation by transforming the possibilities currently available to the industry through new production facilities, a shared distribution network and a transport hub. The potential is huge.”
And he encouraged potential start-up businesses to consider using the Food Park for their enterprise.
“We are very keen to encourage start-ups to become involved. We have plans for a mixture of incubator and growth units as appropriate, alongside identified business need.”
Work completed as part of the first phase has included the building of estate roads and improving the development land. The next stage will include increasing utilities capacity and the construction of the incubator units. The Civil Engineering contractors for the infrastructure works are G D Harries and Sons of Narberth.
The Pembrokeshire Food Park sits within the Haven Waterways Enterprise Zone and is a key priority for the Enterprise Zone Board.
Also within the Enterprise Zone and immediately adjoining the Food Park site is the existing Puffin Produce Ltd food related development, which has received planning permission for a vegetable processing facility.
The Pembrokeshire Food Park is funded by ERDF (European Regional Development Fund).
