A proposed trial scheme for overnight motorhome and campervan parking at some of Pembrokeshire’s car parks could be under threat after it was overwhelmingly rejected at a special meeting.

Members of the council’s Cabinet, at their February meeting, backed a proposal for a trial run ‘Pembs Stop’ scheme at four car parks: North Beach, Tenby; Goodwick Moor, Goodwick; Townsmoor, Narberth; and Western Way, Pembroke Dock.

The ‘Pembs Stop’ trial areas, available for up to two nights, would operate year-round at £10 a night for a trial 18-month period, expected to start in July.

It was stressed the scheme was not intended to create ‘campsites,’ with a list of criteria including no LPG bottles or furniture to be stored outside, and no camping waste or recycling points being provided.

The planned trial even received national coverage, with a discussion on a phone-in programme on BBC Radio Wales.

But local tourism businesses have said the proposals will harm them.

One was Phil Davies, who owns Hungerford Farm Touring Caravan and Motorhome Park near Loveston, who said: “Should the 18-month trial go ahead the drop in business will cause job losses within the industry as many businesses could not survive even a temporary drop in trade.”

The Pembs Stop initiative would also place an additional burden on existing services, with many using public toilets to dispose of waste in order to travel empty to save fuel, Mr Davies said.

In a letter to the council on behalf of Narberth traders, Christine James said: “We feel let down that a matter such as this, with potential to have such huge effects on local residents and businesses, has not been brought to our attention.”

She said no-one in Narberth had been notified of the proposals prior to the cabinet meeting in February.

Vicky Gleeson, owner of Ty Creft on Narberth High Street, said: “One lady has recently been turned down for change of use of the upper level of her commercial premises into accommodation. The reason: increased phosphates into the sewerage system.

“How many phosphates will enter the water system if you’re allowing hundreds of people to pour their waste and chemicals down the public toilets?” she added.

Concerns about the trial have also been raised by the official tourism industry group for Pembrokeshire, Visit Pembrokeshire.

Speaking at a recent meeting in favour of the trials, was Steve Haywood of CAMpRA UK Ltd, a 37,000-strong organisation that promotes the year-round recreational use of motorcaravans through the provision of motorcaravan aires.

The word ‘aire’ is short for the French term ‘aire de service,’ where motorhome and campervan users may stop overnight either for free or for a small fee.

Mr Haywood told committee members: “I can fully understand the concerns, but you need to understand the difference between touring motor caravans and a caravan.

“Since Brexit came in, we are now restricted to 90 days in Europe, 400,000-plus motor caravan owners now spend a minimum of six months a year in the UK, that’s why we’ve particularly seen an increase in the market.

“We, like thousands of members, are very excited when we hear about this trial. We mix between aires and campsites, the aire is like a B&B and a campsite is like a four-star hotel. If you come to south Wales you want to stay in south Wales, we could be there for two months, spending money, in those areas we will include campsites.

“If we stay close to a town we will spend money in the town, the pubs and restaurants where we will have a meal. By preventing overnight parking – and this has happened in Conwy – we moved, and the local businesses lost out.

“96 per cent of motorhomes would pay to use an aire, it’s not freeloading, it’s about providing a safe, authorised place, focussing vehicles where you can control them; we will definitely be visiting Pembrokeshire if this goes ahead.”

Mr Haywood finished by saying the organisation was currently in discussions with 34 councils in the UK about potential sites, adding: “We’re not in competition with campsites; by preventing us staying overnight you’re taking business away.”

Conservative Group leader on the counci, Cllr Di Clements successfully called for the matter to be sent to the council’s April 9 policy and pre-decision scrutiny committee for further discussion, later submitting a motion recommending Cabinet does not progress with the scheme.

The pilots saw the unusual situation of an “unholy coalition” at the meeting, where Labour, Conservative, and Plaid Cymru members were against the trials.

One committee member was Narberth councillor Marc Tierney (Labour), who said -to say the least – there had been “a mixed response” to the proposals in his town, adding ongoing issues about the capacity of the Townsmoor car park making the pilot unfeasible there.

“As local member for Narberth Urban, I do ask that Narberth be removed from this pilot,” he requested.

Tenby’s County councillor for the North ward Cllr Michael Williams (Plaid Cymru) was also against the pilot in his town, saying: “I really don’t see the need for a public body to set up a facility in contradiction of business interests,” adding: “I would have thought there should be a consultation with even a pilot area, it’s a rare coalition, Conservative, Labour, and even Plaid, in agreement on this; certainly not in my ward, I feel very strongly it would be a backwards step.”

Strong opposition to the trials came from independent councillor Viv Stoddart, who warned that even a trial may lead to the overnight parking becoming “embedded” and difficult to undo.

“The tourism business is in a fragile state, how many of these small operators will survive? They have invested in their businesses, and here we are competing with them not on a level playing field.

“If we want to support the local economy, support the local operators; the tourism industry needs you, and the demand can be filled by local sites.

“I would personally like the whole project to go back to Cabinet; this is a mistaken project, it’s absolutely wrong, and we should reject this.”

One voice of support was Cllr Pat Davies, who felt the trial could work in her own area of Goodwick.

Cllr Aled Thomas (Conservative) said: “It shocks me to join the ‘unholy coalition,’ we have completely forgotten what the point of local government is; here we are competing with local business which we are supporting by other means.

“What next? Will we invest in a nightclub in Haverfordwest?”

Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services Cllr Rhys Sinnett said the trial wasn’t about income-generation or competition, but about “making people feel welcome in our county rather than being pushed where we want them to go”.

He suggested a “middle ground” of potentially removing the Narberth and Tenby parts of the trial in favour of the other two, and, following supportive views from fellow Milford Haven councillor, and motorhome owner, Cllr Alan Dennison, looking into Milford as a possible third.

Cllr Clements’ call for the mater to be referred back to Cabinet, with a recommendation it is not progressed, was supported by eight votes to three.

The matter will now be considered by Cabinet at a future date.