The following is a copy of a letter sent to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority

Sir,

Re: St. Catherine's Island, Castle Beach, Tenby.

We are writing to protest against the proposed commercialisation of St. Catherine's Island. This will be profoundly detrimental to the interests of Tenby and its residents and can serve no useful purpose. This island is also a place of great historical and archaeological interest.

When we first discovered Tenby, we were overwhelmed by the charms of this small, relatively unspoilt seaside town. This eventually led to the purchase of two Tenby properties, one of them with a direct view of St. Catherine's Island, and the other quite close. These are used as holiday properties for most of the year by ourselves, family and friends, who delight in Tenby as it is now.

Having viewed the intended plans, we are at a loss to understand the thinking behind this scheme. Geologically speaking, the island appears to be unstable. Any nature conservation issues would appear to be negated by the damage to the terrain and the influence of the presumably hoped for scores of visitors.

The price that would need to be charged to visitors to repay the original investment would need to be very large, which would be enough to put off most visitors. Health and safety issues, once addressed, would completely alter the character of the island. And all for what? So that some individual, or consortium can make a handsome profit from the destruction of all that is special about Tenby.

This scheme seems to be designed to repel all those who are wishing to invest in the future of Tenby. Property owners will find no compelling reason to be here. Visitors will see no reason to come. Any intelligent community safeguards its inheritance, which especially includes the land on which it is situated, the source of all of its wellbeing. It prevents access to outside influences with whom the interests of the community are not a priority or even an issue.

All those who wish Tenby well will find it necessary to confront this plan. Our community should not be exploited by commercial interests.

Cynthia and John Stanford,

St. Julian's Street,

Tenby.