February 5th, 2026
Community Spotlight: Ceibwr Bay Community
1) Can you tell us a bit about yourself and your community (and the place you’re working to protect)?
We are members of the local community in Pembrokeshire who came together to protect Ceibwr Bay, a remote and ecologically rich stretch of coastline within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park. Ceibwr Bay is designated for its wildlife importance and is a vital habitat for nesting seabirds and seal pupping.
For many of us, Ceibwr is not only a place of outstanding natural beauty, but also a quiet, fragile environment that plays a crucial role in local nature recovery. We felt a strong responsibility to speak up when we saw this special place under threat.
2) What environmental issue were you facing, and how was it affecting people locally?
We were deeply concerned about proposals and activities linked to commercial adventure tourism at Ceibwr Bay, including coasteering and associated development. These activities were taking place in sensitive wildlife areas, causing disturbance to nesting seabirds and seals, particularly during critical breeding and pupping seasons.
There were also wider concerns about traffic, parking, the scale and height of buildings, and the cumulative impact of increasing adventure tourism in an area not suited to it. Despite raising these issues repeatedly, many questions went unanswered, leaving the community feeling ignored and excluded from decisions that directly affected our environment and wellbeing.
3) What steps did you take before getting in touch with ELF?
Before contacting ELF, we tried to engage with Natural Resources Wales, Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority (PCNPA), Pembrokeshire County Council, the National Trust, and the Pembrokeshire Coastal Forum. However, we felt we received inadequate answers and experienced a lack of transparency.
Almost the entire community submitted objection letters and letters of concern to the PCNPA planning department. Many key questions — including impacts on wildlife, traffic, building height and parking — went unanswered.
We felt powerless. Contacting ELF was the first time we truly felt heard.
4) What kind of support did ELF provide, and what difference did it make?
ELF were pivotal. They ensured that a Habitats Regulations Assessment (HRA) was carried out, clearly setting out to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority that failing to do so could leave it open to legal challenge. As a result, the PCNPA undertook an HRA.
We had concerns about errors in that assessment but lacked the expertise to analyse it ourselves. With ELF’s guidance, we contacted Wild Justice, who helped secure expert review of the HRA.
5) What changes have you seen since then — even small wins or progress?
Following the HRA, Wild Justice brought a successful Judicial Review, which quashed the planning decision on environmental grounds. The decision was deemed unlawful — a major milestone for wildlife protection at Ceibwr Bay.
We continue to receive support from wildlife experts who are concerned about the cumulative impacts of disturbance from adventure tourism. Through our campaigning, we’ve heard that a new licensing agreement for coasteering in Pembrokeshire is being developed, although we are cautious and aware that the detail will be crucial.
We continue to campaign for a ban on commercial adventure tourism at Ceibwr Bay. While we understand that the National Trust may allow access from its land, we strongly believe Ceibwr is essential for nature recovery. The seabird nesting season runs from March to July, and seal pupping from July to November — making this area incompatible with intensive human activity.
Perhaps our greatest success has been the galvanisation of the community. People from many different backgrounds and skill sets came together, united to protect this special place. Every individual made a difference. Community strength enabled us to engage ELF, Wild Justice, expert ecologists and even the police. That collective effort has been powerful — and lasting.