A Welsh council is selling off a watersports adventure centre as a potential development site because it claims the former Prince’s Trust complex is too expensive to run.
Pembrokeshire County Council has now hired commercial property adviser, Bilfinger GVA, to market Pembrokeshire Watersports Centre in Pembroke Dock as well as adjacent woodland and a redundant fish farm.
The centre, which closed in January with the loss of 15 jobs, had been run by the Prince’s Trust since 2006. It is now being offered for sale with the potential to re-open or — as the authority feels is more likely — as a development opportunity.
Located on the outskirts of the town, and with direct water access to Milford Haven Estuary, the purpose-built complex is extensively fitted out and includes a modern water sports building with associated teaching block and equipment store, together with residential accommodation blocks. There is also a sports court facility and climbing wall. Fully occupied, it can accommodate 80 residents.
“Pembrokeshire has a strong reputation as an extremely popular tourist destination with stunning coastal scenery and award winning beaches,” explained Tom Merrifield, agency head at Bilfinger GVA’s Cardiff office. “It is home to Pembrokeshire Coastal National Park, the UK’s only Coastal National Park.
“As a result this opportunity is unique both in terms of the location and the benefits it can offer to an operator, meaning they can trade with almost immediate effect.”
In addition to providing a range of adventure activities like powerboating, canoeing and sailing, the centre also helped disadvantaged young people get into training, education and employment.
After running the building for almost a decade, The Prince’s Trust handed it back to the site’s owners, Pembrokeshire County Council, early this year. “Despite our best efforts, the centre has become too expensive to run and, as a charity, we need to prioritise our work helping disadvantaged young people into jobs and training,” said a trust spokesman at the time.
Previous Post
Schroder snaps up Bedford Retail Park
