Plans for a £15m expansion of the Bluestone holiday village in Pembrokeshire, which will see 80 new lodges, have been approved.
Bluestone National Park Resort has secured planning consent for the lodges from the planning committees of Pembrokeshire County Council and Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. It will provide a boost to the business and the wider regional economy as its hard hit hospitality and tourism sector looks to revive after the devastating impact of the pandemic.
The investment will create 250 jobs in the construction phase as well as nearly 90 operational jobs on completion. The resort currently has 344 lodges. Prior to the pandemic, in 2019, they had an average occupancy rate year round of 97% with the resort attracting almost 155,000 visitors.
The new lodges will increase spending by Bluestone in the surrounding area by up to £1.5m per year with up to further £1m by visitors who explore the county while staying at the resort.
The resort’s head of projects, Liz Weedon, said: “We are really pleased to have the resolutions approved and we are very excited about the lodge development – which cements Bluestone’s firm commitment to further investment, job creation and supporting the wider regional economy.
"It has been a very challenging year for everyone in the industry; we are proud and privileged to be based in Pembrokeshire and see real potential for the county to benefit significantly from staycation demand in the future.
“We are looking forward to taking forward our proposals which will be a very significant investment in tourism for Pembrokeshire, Wales and the 海角视频."
The company’s hospitality sales have fallen by over £17.5m over the last year as a direct result of the pandemic. This has been partially offset by a £6m commercial partnership with Hywel Dda University Health Board for the use and restoration of Ysbyty Enfys Carreg Las. This includes work by teams across Bluestone – including HR, health and safety, IT, security and operational staff.
Most Read
Chief executive of Bluestone, William McNamara, said: “We are proud to have worked with Hywel Dda University Health Board and Pembrokeshire County Council to establish and maintain Ysbyty Enfys Carreg Las. The field hospital – which was a superb facility – was created at previously unimaginable speed at a time of unquestionable uncertainty.
"It remains an exemplary demonstration of what can be achieved by successfully working together. We sincerely thank teams across Bluestone – including HR, health and safety, IT, security and operational staff – as well as excellent Hywel Dda teams for all their hard work and commitment.
“These planning decisions are a big step forward for the business. After a very challenging period, it is positive for everyone connected with Bluestone – our staff, local suppliers and community partners – to have these state-of-the-art, environmentally sensitive lodges on the horizon.”
Sign up to the BusinessLive Wales newsletter and follow us on LinkedIn
As well as an in-depth early morning newsletter, we will be sending out regular breaking news email alerts. To sign up to this service
And, follow us on to catch the latest stories and to network with the Welsh business community.
The company works with and supports a wide range of suppliers across Wales with 65% of its £7.8m expenditure being retained within its home county.