It is unclear how the Navy Board had managed to go so far in the development of the new Dockyard without its being, strictly speaking, on any official footing. Additionally, it is arguably the case that it would have made more sense to close down the Dockyard rather than investing more money in it, particularly in light of the fact that victory at Waterloo had seen the return of peace to Europe and a consequent reduction in numbers of armed forces. However, in October 1815 Royal Assent was granted for the Dockyard to become an official Royal Naval Dockyard, perhaps with what was then the equivalent of what we now call retrospective planning permission! It is commonly misunderstood that Royal Assent made Pembroke Dock a naval town; it did not, ships were built here and then mostly sailed away never to return. As it would transpire, Pembroke Dock would house large numbers of Army personnel and later, RAF, but the town’s Naval connection was as a Dockyard, not as a garrison town.