AN APPEAL to The Planning Inspectorate to overturn a refusal to open up of part of Pembroke’s historic town wall was dismissed recently.

In 2017, Richard Naylor of 36 Main Street, Pembroke, sought listed building consent to allow pedestrian access to the rear of number 36 through the Grade 2 listed building wall, and was later turned down by Pembrokeshire County Council planners.

A report accompanying the application stated the proposed access would enable cultivation of a burgage plot to the rear and enable residential development.

The town walls are believed to have been established in the 13th Century, but parts of it, along Millpond Walk, are later, the applicant stated.

Mr Naylor, in his application, stated that, although number 36 has no evidence of a former opening, it is likely to have had one in the past.

The application was refused by county planners in June 2017 on the basis that it would have an adverse effect on the special character and historic interest of the walls, and that the development “would constitute a substantial loss of historic fabric and detrimental alteration to the special architectural character of this currently well preserved section of the town wall, without any appropriate overriding justification”.

In his response to the refusal, Mr Naylor stated: “It needs to be emphasised that the relevant section of the town wall is not original and appears to have been completely rebuilt during the last century.”

In the appeal decision, Planning Inspector Melissa Hall conceded the section of wall dated from the 19th century rather than being medieval, but stated it was still of “architectural and historic significance”.

She concluded: “The works would detract from the special architectural and historic interest of the listed building, and would harm its significance.”