The third phase of a development at the site of Narberth’s old school will soon see brightly coloured homes on the market as a mature urban development called Moorfield Court - under the proviso that they cannot be used as holiday lets or second homes and must be offered to locals first.
The two-bedroom properties, now nearing completion, are to be marketed for the over 55s, with Charles Salmon whose family has a long standing history with the town, as the sole developer.
The eight high-quality boutique properties have been designed and constructed to a high specification with style, comfort and practicality in mind using local suppliers and professional consultants.
Each home will be individually styled and promises to be as unique as the people who will be living within their brightly coloured walls.
When the primary school was closed it lay empty for 16 years before plans were set out in 2016 for a mixed housing and retail development, with a Sainsbury’s Local as its cornerstone. Narberth, it seemed, would succumb to the lure of a supermarket. But the plans collapsed in May 2016 after the supermarket chain pulled out because of lack of progress by the then preferred developer.
Spotting an opportunity, a community-based consortium came together with a radically different set of plans.
Their love for their home town put that pride over profit and in 2018 Narberth Consortium was appointed as the preferred developer of the site, with the proviso that part of the development was earmarked to house a new library for Narberth.
Phase one involved the redevelopment of the school building into the Hwb, which has evolved to become a popular destination offering various eating options; whilst Phase two followed, with several commercial premises with residential apartments above and the development of the library which comes with a 125 ‘peppercorn’ lease for Pembrokeshire County Council.
For three generations the Salmon family have been central to the transformation of Narberth from a rural backwater town to what is today one of the trendiest places to live in the UK.
Charles is leading the development continuing his family's legacy in Narberth and the third generation to shape the fortunes of the market town.
“It’s more of a project of the heart,” said Charles, who himself went to Narberth primary school in the 1960s, about the new residential development.
“I consider it my duty now to do my bit for Narberth and pay back the great memories I have had growing up in and around the town,” explained Charles, who heads up his own Civil engineering and Demolition businesses – saw the potential early on, which is why he initially went into partnership with Andrew Rees from the original consortium and now on his own.
“Narberth is one of the top places to live in Wales and the UK.”
“It’s a wonderful location within the county of Pembrokeshire and it holds a special place in my heart. It’s a big-hearted community offering something for everyone, whatever their age, ability or stage of life.”