A Pembrokeshire scheme aimed at attracting more visitors to enjoy the county’s rich military history will benefit from a £500,000 Welsh Assembly grant, it has been revealed today (Wednesday).

Defence of the Realm - Pembrokeshire will see the former coastal defences’ battery at Chapel Bay Fort, Angle, restored and opened to the public for the first time.

Ir will also include a new visitor centre and improved aviation exhibition at Carew Cheriton airfield; a new heritage centre at Dale and a travelling exhibition of war art drawn by naval personnel on a former barrack room walls.

The scheme is the first to get underway under the Welsh Assembly Government’s £19m Heritage Tourism project.

It will highlight Pembrokeshire’s strategic importance to the defence of Great Britain as a whole and tell the story of how the Milford Haven waterway, and the wider region, was defended.

Cadw and a Pembrokeshire County Council led consortium will be working with communities, heritage partners and the tourism sector to develop tours, trails and events as well as encouraging exploration of existing sites across the county.

“I am delighted that the first scheme has been awarded under the ambitious Heritage Tourism project,” said Minister for Heritage, Alun Ffred Jones.

“Defence of the Realm will not only attract more visitors to enjoy Pembrokeshire’s outstanding heritage, it will also generate employment opportunities for the local community and attract further investment to boost the region’s well established tourism industry.”

Councillor John Davies, Leader of Pembrokeshire County Council welcomed the news. Speaking on behalf of the consortium he said: “We are very proud in Pembrokeshire of our rich military heritage and there are already indispensable projects in existence which are keeping the important events in the county’s history in the forefront of people’s minds today.

“We are delighted Pembrokeshire has been awarded the contract, which will allow us to work with Cadw to achieve the goal of strengthening and widening our heritage tourism offer and visitor experience, to include not only the heritage sites themselves, but also the surrounding communities.”