Plans for works at a Pembrokeshire ‘bug farm’ to allow it “to maintain its high-quality farming, research, and educational facility” have been submitted to the national park.
In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Dr Sarah Beynon of Doctor Beynon’s Bug Farm Ltd, Lower Harglodd, St Davids, through agent Pembroke Design Ltd, seeks permission to for the removal and replacement of a shed on site with a modern one, which the applicant says will “allow the business to extend its season to the visitor experience”.
Dr Beynon’s Bug Farm, just outside St Davids, is the vision of Dr Sarah Beynon, who wanted to combine her love of farming, academic research and education by setting up a centre of excellence in her hometown of St Davids.
It offers a ‘friendly quirky and unique attraction’ for nature lovers and foodies set on a historic Welsh farm.
It boasts a tropical bug zoo, a bug museum, a recently opened nature recovery centre, a farming history museum, a farm trail across wildflower meadows, wetland and woodland, a peaceful walled garden, an art gallery, an indoor play barn and gift shop.
The farm is also home to Grub Kitchen, the UK’s first edible insect café, which offers a nature-friendly menu created from largely organic and local produce, with plenty of non-insect options too.
A supporting statement accompanying the application says the post-war shed, originally used for farm machinery by the applicant’s uncle has long passed its ‘sell by date’, and is not practical or feasible to repair; its replacement “will allow the Bug Farm business to continue to use it to provide educational opportunity and match the building to the rest of the farm buildings”.
The statement adds: “The farm has been named as one of Wales’s top 10 farms for rare arable plants and was used as a 2026 PCNPA case study for a private Naturfa site. Ten percent of the farm has been planted with native woodland since 2023, and the farm has been invited to be designated as part of the National Forest of Wales and will apply for Naturfa status.”
It went on to say: “In creating the nature reserve Sarah has created an educational facility to showcase the work done and to explain the effects it has on improving the wildlife habitat. It has been a huge success.
“The existing proposed Nature Discovery Centre is an educational space to enthuse people about nature and what they can do to reverse the decline of wildlife by discovering just how fascinating it is.
“Over the last few years, work has been carried out on the Nature Recovery Education Centre. Phase 2- Fit Out is due to commence shortly.
“The current proposal to replace the shed will allow the site to maintain its high-quality farming, research, and educational facility.”
It finished: “Once complete the site will enhance the great agricultural, research and educational destination for schools, universities, conservation/ farming groups and day visitors alike.”
The application will be considered by Park planners at a later date.
| [donate]
| Help keep news FREE for our readersSupporting your local community newspaper/online news outlet is crucial now more than ever. If you believe in independent journalism,then consider making a valuable contribution by making a one-time or monthly donation. We operate in rural areas where providing unbiased news can be challenging. |