In granting planning permission for new doors at a Tenby amusement centre, National Park planners were hopeful it would be "the last episode in a long running saga."

Before the authority's development control committee on Wednesday was an application from Serendipity Holdings Ltd. to alter the existing entrance door at their amusement centre in the town's Cresswell Street.

Development control officer, Mrs. Cathy Milner, told the committee that, while the Park had never been against the redevelopment of the site, they had been concerned about its use as an amusement centre.

The application had been turned down by the committee in 1999, but was later allowed on appeal to a National Assembly inspector.

However, one of the conditions laid down by the inspector was that the premises be fitted with self closing doors, which were to be used at all times to minimise the amount of noise from the premises.

Park officers had later noted that doors to the premises were continually being kept open and, when brought to the applicant's attention, he had fitted a second set of timer-operated glass sliding doors inside the main doors.

This was still in breach of the planning consent and the development control committee had authorised legal action.

An application to regularise the existing arrangement was refused by the Park in July this year, resulting in a new application from the applicant based on a compromise suggested by Park officers.

"We accept that there is a need for the applicant to have an opening to attract people," said Mrs. Milner. "But what was there was a huge hole."

Mrs. Milner explained that the proposal now was to replace the doors with a smaller pair of doors flanked by side panels.

These smaller doors could be opened right back against the side panels to create the 'open aspect' required by the applicant, while both the doors and side panels could be opened fully to allow amusement machines to be taken in and out when required.

Inside this new door configuration, the glass sliding doors would operate only when people approached them.

"This is the best we can come up with as a solution," said Mrs. Milner. "Visually, it will be far more acceptable than the present situation and we are hopeful that this will be the last episode in this long running saga."