Key Points
- A Grade II-listed Pier Building in New Quay, currently housing the New Quay Yacht Club, was damaged by fire and smoke in January 2026.
- Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee will be considering listed building consent to restore the structure at its meeting on November 11, 2026. Planning officers have advised approval of the proposed works.
- Formerly, the project would see the former harbour warehouse repaired on a like-for-like basis.
- However, under the revised plan there will now be an addition of “60 minute fire compartmentation” between each floor (to prevent fire from spreading) as well as modern flooring being replaced by timber floorboards, which are considered more appropriate given the building’s historic nature.
- Built during the early 19th century when the town of New Quay’s harbours and maritime trade developed. The inspection concluded that the building remains structurally intact and maintains its principal historic form and character post fire. The restoration work will aim where possible to retain historic materials.
- The rare enamel harbour tariff boards (on the southern wall) will be retained as one of the many notable surviving features within this building. ‘As such we feel that retention of the existing exterior character will mean that the impact on New Quay Conservation Area will have been minimised.’ Officers said.
Wales Fire (Wales Times) November 06, 2026 — Plans to restore a historic harbour building damaged by fire earlier this year have been recommended for approval by planning officers at Ceredigion County Council.
As reported by Bruce Sinclair, Local Democracy Reporter, for Nation.Cymru, the Grade II-listed Pier Buildingnow occupied by New Quay Yacht Club—suffered fire and smoke damage in January. The council’s development management committee is scheduled to consider an application for listed building consent on November 11.
The proposals would repair the former harbour warehouse on a like-for-like basis, while introducing improved fire protection between floors. They would also replace modern flooring with timber floorboards described as more appropriate to the building’s historic character.
Why Is the Pier Building Historically Important?
The Pier Building was built in the early 19th century as New Quay’s harbour and maritime trade expanded. A supporting statement describes it as “an important surviving component of the town’s historic waterfront infrastructure.”
The building has since been altered to accommodate recreational and community activities. According to the supporting statement cited by Nation.Cymru, its architectural interest comes not from ornamentation, but from its surviving industrial form, materials, functional expression and strong visual relationship with the pier and harbour setting.
Among its notable features are enamel harbour tariff boards fixed to the southern wall. Dating from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, the signs set out dues and charges for goods landed at New Quay. The supporting statement says both Cadw and Heneb identify them as rare and significant survivors.
How Was the Building Affected by the Fire?
An inspection following the January fire found that the building remained structurally intact overall and retained its principal historic form and character. Some modern finishes and later additions damaged by fire or smoke had already been removed.
The proposed restoration would retain historic materials wherever reasonably practicable. Any necessary changes would be designed to respect the building’s significance.
The fire-protection measures would provide 60-minute fire compartmentation between floors, helping to limit the spread of any future fire. The supporting report acknowledges that reinstating fire- and moisture-resistant elements would involve a minor loss of historical evidence, but concludes that this would be outweighed by the need to safeguard the building for continued use.
What Have Planning Officers Said?
Planning officers have recommended approval. They say the work would preserve historic materials wherever practicable, improve fire protection and introduce more sympathetic finishes to the affected interiors.
According to the officers’ report, as reported by Nation.Cymru, the proposals would leave the exterior unchanged while preserving the building’s architectural and historic interest and the character of New Quay Conservation Area.
The application will now go before Ceredigion County Council’s development management committee on November 11, when members will decide whether to grant listed building consent.
Background of the Development
The Pier Building is a Grade II-listed former harbour warehouse in New Quay, a coastal town in Ceredigion, west Wales. It was constructed during the early 19th century, a period when the town’s harbour and maritime trade were expanding. The structure later adapted to recreational and community uses and is currently occupied by New Quay Yacht Club.
The building’s historic significance is tied to its industrial form, surviving materials and relationship with the pier and harbour. Its enamel tariff boards, which recorded dues and charges for goods landed at New Quay, are considered rare and significant by Cadw and Heneb.
The fire in January caused fire and smoke damage, prompting proposals to repair the affected areas while strengthening protection against future fires. The restoration plans seek to balance conservation of the listed building with the practical need to keep it safe and usable.
Prediction: How Could This Affect New Quay Residents and Visitors?
If approved, the restoration could help secure the long-term future of a prominent listed building on New Quay’s waterfront. For residents, the work may reduce the risk of further fire damage while retaining a familiar historic structure that forms part of the town’s harbour setting.
For visitors and the local economy, preserving the Pier Building could maintain an important element of New Quay’s historic waterfront character. The proposals are intended to leave the exterior unchanged, which suggests the visual appearance of the harbour area would remain largely consistent during and after the restoration.
For New Quay Yacht Club and other community users, improved fire compartmentation and repaired interiors could support the building’s continued use. The outcome of the November 11 committee decision will determine whether the recommended restoration can proceed.
