A HAVERFORDWEST building, vacant for more than four years, will be transformed into a community centre, after approval was granted by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Community organisation HaverHub has been running events out of the town’s old post office on Quay Street since September last year, and has now been given permission to make permanent changes to the building.

Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee unanimously approved the plans at its meeting on Tuesday, May 22.

“This building has been empty for years. It can only bring life back into Quay Street,” said Cllr David Bryan.

Plans for the building include interior renovations to the main-post office building to contain an events hall and office spaces.

The roofs and interiors of two former storage shed in the back yard will be renovated so they can be used as events and activities spaces.

There are also plans for planting trees and other groundworks outside in the yard, and plans to move a pair of bath stone gates to allow for better access.

Planning officers laid out the main issues of the application, saying it was an appropriate development for the town centre, but there were concerns about taking potential retail space away from Quay Street.

Cllr Tim Evans offered a different view: “We are talking about losing retail space – I don’t think that is a problem in that part of Quay Street.

“I think the retailers in that part of Quay Street will be more than happy to see it used. The footfall in Quay Street will be increased by that.”

Councillors agreed the development was providing a much-needed means of regeneration for the street.

Cllr Myles Pepper asked would any additional applications need to be made for retail at the community hub, but planning officers said retail would be covered under the various public activities described in HaverHub’s application.

Gitti Coats, project co-ordinator and founder of HaverHub, said all the group’s volunteers were pleased with the decision, and thanked PCC for the support it provided.

“It really has been a good experience to work with our neighbours across the water and find ourselves on the same side - all basically working towards the same regeneration aspirations for this surprising and delightful county town,” she said.

Gitti added that building work had now begun on the post office site, with future events planned including an art exhibition and a song writing workshop.

The Georgian post office is a grade-2 listed building, and listed building consent was also granted to HaverHub.

Visit HaverHub on Facebook for more details.