An application to rebuild a weather-damaged riverside wall at a historic Pembrokeshire mill and museum, now a restaurant, has been submitted to National Park planners.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority planners, Bluestone Resorts Ltd seeks permission for the replacement of a collapsed riverside retaining wall at the listed Blackpool Mill, Blackpool Bridge, near Narberth.

A supporting statement through agent Graham Frecknall Architects says: “The property of Black Pool Mill is a Grade-II*-protected heritage asset located on the south bank of the Cleddau River at Blackpool Bridge.

“The property was granted formal planning and listed building consent in 2020 to convert the former museum use to a restaurant with ancillary on site facilities and was opened to the public in July 2023.

“In October 2023 after a spell of considerable rainfall and high tides, a large portion of the existing stone faced, riverside retaining wall located immediately adjacent to the main mill building and to the rear gable of the store building collapsed into the Cleddau River. In November 2023 following liaison with conservation and NRW officers, temporary works were installed to limit further collapse and/or erosion of the retaining wall whilst a permanent solution was sought.

“The proposals for the new retaining wall look to re-create the coursed stone façade of the pre-collapsed riverside wall in modern, structural materials, formed and coloured to match the basement stone façade of the main mill building adjacent.”

The restaurant opened in 2023 after William McNamara, CEO of Bluestone National Park Resort, received permission to restore the mill in 2020.

A total of £3 million was spent on preserving, restoring, and transforming the Georgian building and its grounds.

The original milling equipment, was also restored to reflect the mill’s industrial history.

The application will be considered at a later date.