A meeting with the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority to review aspects of the Local Development Plan (LDP) has been called for by councillors in Tenby, with a view to creating more housing possibilities for locals.

Speaking at a recent meeting of Tenby Town Council, Clr. Mike Evans told his colleagues that policies and land allocations included in the LDP needed to change and be reviewed, as many of the current sites listed were simply included to 'tick boxes'.

Clr. Evans felt that, as the plan was in the mid-term cycle and under review, PCNPA had the ability to amend the plans, with any site included that was not likely to be developed, removed from the LDP and an alternative site sought.

A list of land allocations and large residential sites included in the current LDP were brought before councillors at their meeting on Tuesday night.

It was revealed that the former hospital site in the town had now been sold to a private developer who had made some pre-application enquiries, and anticipated that the site would come forward for development in three to five years time, while the South Beach apartments development that was on hold, was now under the ownership of the company that was behind the new schools development on Heywood Lane, and that they were working with PCNPA, with a view to finishing the next phase of the scheme by the end of the year.

Other sites listed on the LDP were also discussed by councillors.

"The Brynhir site, owned by Pembrokeshire County Council, has been listed for development for over 20 years, and my personal thoughts are by including it in the LDP, and other sites that aren't likely to be developed, it gives people false hopes," Clr. Evans told his colleagues.

"We don't have a four-bedroom council house left in Tenby, they've all been sold off. We desperately need new homes for locals, and maybe an innovative approach to zone say affordable and executive housing for example, could be what we need, but first, we need to put pressure on the county council through the PCNPA to bring forward land for development," he continued.

Members agreed with Clr. Evans that current car parking sites such as the Butts Field and Rectory facility, should be taken out of the list, along with the former Ford garage site.

"These are just included to fudge and fuddle figures and tick a box, and meet a purpose that if the authority can point to so many sites for Tenby, then they can move on," remarked Clr. Evans.

"I think we need to move to safeguard these areas as designated car parking sites, and should it go to an enquiry, then we fight for them and seek professional help if need be to help achieve our aims," he added.

Clr. Lawrence Blackhall felt that it was correct that the town council pushed for these sites to be taken out of the LDP and to look at what other sites could be put in.

Clr. Will Rossiter told his colleagues that he had objected to the Brynhir site being developed all along, as it took away more green areas from Tenby. He felt that only one area in the town that sprang to mind that could be developed, was the Salterns, where he suggested the option of high storey flats being built.

Councillors agreed to call for an open meeting with PCNPA's head of park direction, Martina Dunne, to discuss a review of sites included in the LDP.