Local councillors have reacted angrily to a response they have received this week from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority, who say that the site of the former Gatehouse Hotel in Tenby, is not considered to be "detrimental on the amenity of the surrounding area."

Following fears that the development of the site will be further delayed due to the latest application from developers South Terrace Properties Ltd, seeking to change the use of the cinema which forms part of the scheme, being opposed by members of the Park's development management committee, members of Tenby Town Council wrote to the authority requesting that urgent action be taken to improve the poor condition of the site, which they believe reflects badly on the town.

Councillors asked for the authority to give certain issues surrounding the development some immediate attention, in particular improvements to the unsightly hoardings around the site and the safety quality of some of the other buildings that form part of the whole scheme.

At Tuesday night's meeting of the town council, members received correspondence from the authority's principal planner, Mr. Liam Jones, who explained that he had undertaken a site visit and it was the opinion of officers that enforcement action could not be pursued under Section 215 of the Town and Country Panning Act, as presently the site was not considered to be in a condition which warrants further action.

"Section 215 powers can only be used where a site is considered to be detrimental on the amenity of the surrounding area," wrote Mr. Jones.

"Whilst the site is in a general poor condition, it is not considered to be in an adverse condition which impacts to an unacceptable degree on the amenity of the surrounding area.

"The site is bordered by metal hoarding around its main perimeter and whilst it is overgrown within, it is not largely visible from public view. The hoarding itself serves a purpose in preventing views into the site and also providing a security measure.

"This hoarding is in a clean and generally unmarked condition and whilst it has been damaged slightly in parts, officers consider it would be difficult to conclusively argue that this is detrimental to surrounding amenity.

"In terms of the buildings, I note that these have started to fall into disrepair, but are not yet considered to be in a condition which warrants further action," he added.

Responding to the letter, Clr. David Morgan said that he totally disagreed with the authority's views.

"The state of that hoarding is disgusting; we're a holiday town and the first thing that visitors see is that site, and it reflects badly on the whole town," he said.

Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown felt that the issue was not a closed case.

"We live in the one town that is located in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, and the authority supposedly says that Tenby is its premier resort, with the phrase 'the jewel in the crown', but it doesn't feel like that.

"If someone puts in the wrong window on a building, they get chastised by the authority, but the owners of this site have got away with murder," she remarked, with her colleague Clr. Lawrence Blackhall agreeing.

"It's simply unacceptable. How bad does it have to get for it to be classed as causing a visual impact on Tenby?

"The National Park are this year celebrating all the wonderful things they've achieved down the years," continued Clr. Blackhall. "Well I'd set the challenge of someone at the authority showing me a single site in the National Park that's in a worse condition,"

"I think it's important to stress that everyone around this table wants nothing more than anything for this development to happen for the town; we just want immediate improvements for the hoardings and buildings in disrepair in the meantime," he added.

Councillors suggested that hoardings could be put in place similar to ones that had been erected around a development in Saundersfoot and that local businesses or organisations could be encouraged to place advertising on the hoardings.

The town clerk told members that, despite the National Park Authority's views on the matter, there were other legal avenues that could be explored in seeking improvements to the site, and that he was still awaiting guidance from the Welsh Government on these options.

Councillors agreed to call for a crisis meeting to discuss their concerns over issues surrounding the site with the National Park Authority and Pembrokeshire County Council.

They felt that a review was also required of the supplementary planning guidance documents of 2011.

Members agreed that letters be sent to local AMs and MPs to seek support on the matter, and further correspondence should be sent to to the developers, South Terrace Properties Ltd, and owner, Simon Fry, appealing for urgent improvements to be made to the site.