Riverside Centre Questions

A call to put Haverfordwest’s contentious Public Transport Interchange on hold until a business partner was found for the nearby Riverside shopping centre was turned down last week.

Back in September 2021 it was reported that a development partner was sought to join Pembrokeshire County Council in its plans to improve the Riverside Shopping Centre – that was purchased earlier that year for more than £3million.

The council’s own contribution to that figure amounted to some £700,000.

An update on the shopping centre was received at the March meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council, following a written question submitted by Councillor Di Clements.

Cllr Clements asked: “Could the relevant cabinet member update me on whether there are any future proposals or plans for the Riverside shopping centre in Haverfordwest? And if so, what they might be?”.

Deputy Leader of Council, and Cabinet Member for Place, the Region and Climate Change Cllr Paul Miller answered, saying the site was purchased, with a Welsh Government grant and £700,000 of council funding, in February 2021.

He said the riverside centre had been run in a ‘holding position’ rather than for income generation, but had generated £250,000 surplus in the first year, from an expected worst-case scenario of £60,000, with £140,000-plus expected for this year.

“This holding position hasn’t cost us anything, quite the opposite,” said Cllr Miller, adding: “We’re probably in this for about £100,000 now.”

He said that, if car parking income was taken into consideration, some £600,000 of the council’s £700,000 had been recovered to date.

He said the approach was to ultimately engage in a joint-partnership with business to run the centre, with lawyers engaged to work out the best procedure for engaging with the market.

He said ownership had already seen benefits, with the ongoing development of the nearby multi-storey car park and the bridge over the Cleddau.

“I’ve always made it clear we don’t intend to do it on our own.”

Cllr Clements, who had earlier this year successfully brought a ‘call-in’ on securing guarantees on funding for the nearby Haverfordwest Public Transport Interchange, asked that development be put on hold until there was a suitable business partner agreed for the Riverside development as a whole.

“I would ask you if you would reconsider what you are doing with the multi-storey car park until you know what you are doing with the Riverside shopping centre.”

Cllr Miller replied: “I’m not going to give that commitment I’m afraid,” adding: “We are committed to delivering the multi-storey and interchange in Haverfordwest.”

He said advice received from experts did not highlight the development of the multi-storey as risking the Riverside development at risk and that hoped-for grants for the interchange could give the opportunity to complete the investment of the area with “significant external funding.”

In late January, councillors heard a doubling of the costs of Haverfordwest’s public transport project to nearly £18m was not fully communicated with the public.