Plans Approved for Traditional Chinese-style Structure at Pembrokeshire Hotel and Restaurant

Plans for a traditional Chinese-style structure at an award-winning restaurant and hotel have been approved, bringing “a feel of Asia to Pembrokeshire”.
In an application submitted to Pembrokeshire County Council, Lok Cheung of Cheung & Family Ltd, sought permission for the erection of an Asian style ‘pergoda’/garden building, and associated works, at the former Woodridge Inn, Wooden, near Saundersfoot.
The former Woodridge Inn now houses Lokky’s restaurant and the Imperial Dragon Hotel. Lok and Jen Cheung’s family business also includes the long-established Dragon Palace in nearby Pentlepoir.
Lokky’s won Best Restaurant in Wales at the 2022 Golden Chopsticks Awards.
A supporting statement said: “At the moment the land is being used as just a garden/lawned area, with an old children’s ‘play area’ at one end. The hotel currently has many old unused ‘pub’-style picnic benches positioned around the lawned/grass.”
“The area proposed to have this new structure is, at this moment in time, unused/dead land. So, the intention is to utilise this space and bring it back to life. The new structure, that will be positioned within an incredibly neat designed landscaped gardens and is to be built in the theme, that transcends throughout the owners’ other companies.”
“There is a heavy Asian theme that runs through the restaurants within the group. We are proposing to build an Asian-style ‘pergola’/garden building, situated right in the middle of beautiful, serene, landscaped gardens – with lighting within and around the outside, so guests/customers can go and have drinks and food out there.”
The proposed timber building “will have the appearance of a traditional Chinese house” and will be “vaulted to give the impression of space/volume – as per the style of Chinese construction”.
It adds: “The building will be set 400mm above the surrounding landscaping – this gives the impression of a strong construction in Chinese culture and the whole reason for this project is bring an element of Asia to Pembrokeshire – all as per the hotel and on-site pan-Asian restaurant ‘Lokky’s’.”
A council officer’s report recommending approval said: “Although the proposed roof and decorative detailing would give the building a distinctive appearance, the design responds directly to the established oriental theme of the hotel and adjoining Pan Asian restaurant.”
The report added: “Overall, based on the information submitted, the proposed garden room and landscaped garden would bring an underused and visually poor part of the established hotel grounds into beneficial use.”
The council approved the application subject to conditions.
Lok and Jen Cheung’s hospitality business is expanding: they recently announced they had bought the former Dragon and Pearl Chinese restaurant in Haverfordwest. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

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By BBC LDRS ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​