Architects behind the plans for a new multi-million pound mixed-use scheme in Tenby have been told to go back to the drawing board by members of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's development management committee.

At a meeting of the committee on Wednesday, seven separate applications relating to the scheme, which included the site of the former Gatehouse Hotel, destroyed by fire in 2008, were unanimously refused by members.

The plans, put forward by developers Dovey Group, designed by C2J Architects of Cardiff, and submitted by South Terrace Properties Ltd, included the proposed construction of 39 apartments, a 68-bed hotel and retail development with on-site parking, amenity and new access road, on the site of the former Royal Gatehouse Hotel, while applications for the redevelopment of adjoining properties at Milford House and Kent House, the Royal Playhouse Cinema and land at Clifton Rock were also included.

Further proposals included the redevelopment of the Royal Lion Hotel in White Lion Street, and units at the Delphi Apartments in South Parade.

In summarising her recommendations, PCNPA's head of development management, Vicki Hirst, said that the scheme included four key sites in the town which were of critical importance to the future of the seaside resort and that any decisions were a "once only opportunity to get it right" for Tenby and were not to be taken lightly.

She explained that the developers had failed to comply with the Park's adopted policy on affordable housing and that a lack of information on this aspect had been forthcoming.

"The type of affordable housing offered and its tenure is not reflective of the need in the Tenby area," she said.

"The provision of affordable housing should be secured at an early stage of the development and not in the latter years of the overall project."

Ms Hirst also felt that the hotel provision offered across the schemes was considered unsatisfactory as the loss of the two former hotels fronting The Norton would cause an adverse effect on the intrinsic character and identity of that part of the the town.

Commenting on some of the design aspects of the schemes, committee member David Ellis said: "My steer would be to recommend that the architects go back to the drawing board and use a bit more sensitivity to the needs of the historic town of Tenby when coming up with a new design.

"Tenby deserves a replication of what was there before, with more of a Victorian style element," he added, commenting on the design proposed for the replacement of the Royal Gatehouse Hotel.

Clr. Mike Evans felt that the scheme was critical to the regeneration of that area of the town, but it was vital the design of the development was right.

"The top end of Tenby is struggling, whereas the other end towards the harbour area is thriving, he remarked.

"The people of Tenby who live and work in the town are asking what timescale is involved if these plans are refused, as they are desperate to see a development take place, but fundamentally this design isn't good enough and the agent and architects need to know that they have got to do better for Tenby."

He also said that the removal of the cinema from the town as part of any redevelopment would be a 'disaster' as the facility was an asset that Tenby could not afford to lose.

Ms Hirst told members that the developers had indicated that should the plans be refused, then there would be real concern that the backers for any hotel aspect of the scheme would withdraw their funding and therefore they were seeking a deferment of the plans to facilitate further discussions with the PCNPA's planning officers.

However, committee chairman, Clr. Michael Williams, felt that this was not a wise route to take.

"If this committee defers something, it usually means that we are very close to an outcome and that it's only an element that merely needs tweaking, but I'm afraid we are a very long way from an acceptable scheme here," he said.

"Insufficient information has been provided from the outset for us to properly determine these applications. These plans are critical to this part of Tenby and I'm very concerned as they just don't come up to the mark.

"There seems to be a lack of understanding of the architectural merits that exist in the town; the design seems totally alien to Tenby," added Clr. Williams.

Members of the development management committee unanimously refused all seven applications when they were put to the vote.