Tenby councillors are to write to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park officers asking that they give urgent consideration to resolving the future of the town's old lifeboat station and whether it is to be demolished or not.

At Tuesday night's meeting of the town council, members discussed a letter brought before them written by RNLI estates manager, Howard Richings, in response to councillors' queries as to what plans had been decided for the old station's future. Councillors had received correspondence from PCNP building conservation officer, Rob Scourfield, who said that the authority's officers were still awaiting further information from the RNLI over efforts to retain the listed building before they could give serious consideration to its future.

"Following the full operational commissioning of the new boathouse earlier this year, the RNLI wrote to PCNP's planning department in May, enclosing various reports that would be required for any planning submission for consent to demolish the old station," Mr. Richings informed the town council.

"Whilst we have received no formal reply to date, subject to PCNP's reponse it is the RNLI's intention to submit an application to demolish the old boathouse in order that the issue can be addressed in the appropriate public forum and resolved through the planning process," continued Mr. Richings.

As the RNLI does not own the site upon which the boathouse is built, they are therefore unable to sell the building. With the main seabed site belonging to the Crown Estate Commissioners, the terms of the RNLI's lease requires that the building be demolished once it is not required for use as a lifeboat station. However, the situation is complicated further by the fact that the boathouse is a listed building, and cannot be demolished without consent from PCNP in consultation with CADW.

"We are aware that there may be mixed feelings in the town about the future of the building, and the RNLI's position is that it does not wish to have a continuing liability to maintain the building or to demolish at some future date," wrote Mr. Richings, who explained that as an organisation, the RNLI had no view on whether from a planning point of view the old boathouse should remain or be demolished, and that the organisation's intention to apply for consent to demolish the building was driven by the terms of the lease and the need to divest themselves of a "substantial future liability."

"If there were to be a practical alternative use for the building that was supported locally, acceptable in planning terms and could be independently funded, then we would of course co-operate within reason with those attempting to bring such a scheme to fruition. We would, however, require full indemnity against any liability for future demolition, which at today's rates will cost approximately £250,000," added Mr. Richings, stating that the RNLI shared the town council's concerns that the old boathouse should not be allowed to become derelict or a health and safety hazard.

When discussing the issue this week, town councillors suggested that they write to National Park planning officers asking them to act urgently over the matter for the good of the town. "It is clear from what Mr. Richings has written that if this matter is left much longer and not resolved, we could be faced with a situation where the old lifeboat station is left to become derelict and the cost falls on the town's ratepayers," remarked Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, with her fellow member, Clr. Nicky Lloyd, adding that "time was of the essence."

Councillors agreed to write to National Park officer, Vicki Hurst, regarding the matter and also pass Mr. Richings's letter on to her. A spokesperson for Pembrokeshire Coast National Park said that the aauthority had replied to the RNLI and suggested that further information be provided in respect of other potential uses for the building. "In addition, an assessment of all landscape and environmental issues would need to be carried out and this information would need to be included with any application for demolition of the building," they added, concluding that any decision on removal of the building would ultimately have to be made by CADW - Welsh Historic Monuments, as the old boathouse was a listed building.