A major plan to build a multi-million pound retirement complex on the Green’s Motors site at Salutation Square, Haverfordwest, has been announced.

A planning application has been submitted by Pegasus Retirement Homes for permission to demolish Green’s existing garage and showrooms and build three and four storey buildings, comprising 53 sheltered apartments for older people.

The complex will include an owner’s lounge, guest suite, estate manager’s office, access and parking provision.

Greens has occupied the prominent town centre site for nearly 100 of its 162 year history, moving the workshops to new repair and servicing premises at the Withybush Motor Trading Park three years ago, when a large part of the site was sold to Aldi.

Green’s managing director, Martin Green said: “We have outgrown the site and ideally would have moved out of town a couple of years ago when Aldi opened, but planning delays over that development meant we could only move half of the business.

“Ever since then we have been in search of a deal to enable us to move out to a site where we have room for expansion. We have a couple of locations in mind but cannot discuss them because of commercial sensitivity.”

He said Pegasus intended to create a landmark development of top-end ‘gated’ retirement apartments.

“There is a will from central government to encourage people to live closer to town centres and this site is ideal for retirement apartments,” Mr Green added.

“If the planning is successful we should be out of the town centre within the next 12 months or so.”

The Salutation Square roundabout is one of Haverfordwest’s busiest junctions, with traffic flowing in 12 different directions.

Reticent to pass judgement until he had studied the plans, Prendergast County Councillor Mark Edwards said his initial reaction was that there is a desperate need for housing, with 5,000 people on the waiting and transfer lists, so any residential development, particularly affordable housing, in the town was welcome.

He also felt there could be a planning gain as traffic generated by the complex would be considerably less than that currently generated by Green’s Motors.