The long fight for a new hospital in Tenby looks to have been won this week.
Land acquisition for new services in Tenby and South Pembrokeshire is part of an £8 million scheme which was promised by Welsh Finance Minister, Edwina Hart on Tuesday when she gave the first reading of the Assembly Government's budget plans for 2003-2004 and for the two years after that.
The strategic outline business case for the scheme proposes the reprovision of services from Tenby Cottage Hospital by providing services including intermediate and palliative care, appropriate minor injury services, facilities for consultant outpatient appointments and for other community service clinics such as dentistry and podiatry and to act as a base for health and community staff working in the community.
The scheme, which has been widely welcomed by campaigners, forms part of a phased review of the provision of healthcare provision in Pembrokeshire.
"We knew it was right to keep fighting. Now we have the result. Tenby Cottage Hospital will be paid for by the Welsh Assembly Government," commented local AM Christine Gwyther after hearing the news at the Assembly on Tuesday.
"Anyone who has been involved in the fight to build a new Tenby hospital will know just how I felt when I heard the Finance Minister pledge funding for Tenby from the floor of the National Assembly," she said.
"It was a thrilling moment, the moment which signalled the end of years of waiting by the people of Tenby and south east Pembrokeshire as a whole," she continued.
"It has followed years of political pressure, not just by me, but my predecessor on health matters - Nick Ainger MP and I would like to thank him publicly for his continued, common sense support for this project.
"But it goes without saying that the most important factor in this fight has been the people who use and support the service, including the redoubtable Friends of Tenby Cottage.
"For them, for Nick Ainger and for me, giving up was simply never an option. The money has been pledged at the highest level. Now we must work with the Trust to build the facility and the service the people of south east Pembrokeshire truly deserve."
On a local level, chairman of of the Cottage Hospital's League of Friends, Mrs. Pat Wright who has been one of the campaign leaders spearheading the fight for new hospital said she was 'overjoyed' at the announcement.
"I am delighted as I am sure the people of this area are too," she told the Observer.
But Mrs. Wright was keen to remind health chiefs of their promise that the present hospital "must not close until the new facility is open and all the services are re-provided."
Her comments were echoed by fellow campaign leader, county councillor, Michael Williams, chairman of the Campaign for Action on Tenby Cottage Hospital (CATCH).
"We are giving a tentative two cheers because we would like to ensure that the money is ring-fenced for a new build hospital in Tenby," he told us on Wednesday.
"This news does not mean that CATCH is going into retirement just yet; land still has to be purchased, design briefs submitted, planning consent sought and then the building constructed. We won't rest until the ribbon is cut at the opening ceremony.
"I think we owe a debt to the staff of the Cottage Hospital who have been working in difficult conditions for the last six years not knowing if they have got a job from one week to the next.
"We also owe a debt of gratitude to the Tenby Observer for helping us keep the fight alive for the last six years and maintaining a public profile of our campaign.
"Finally the greatest debt is owed to the League of Friends, especially Mrs. Pat Wright who has eaten, slept and breathed the hospital for the last six years.
"It may appear that CATCH has been rather quiet of late, but this has been at the request of the Health Authority, while submissions were made to the Assembly. I am delighted that the Assembly has appeared to have listened to us, but we will still be seeking assurances that the Cottage Hospital will not close until the new facility is up and running.
"We now look forward to the three GP practices in South East Pembrokeshire working together to ensure the Trust is aware of the needs of the community."
Elsewhere, the news has also been welcomed with Plaid Cymru describing the announcement as a 'victory for CATCH and its leaders Clr. Mike Williams and Mrs. Pat Wright'.
"We welcome the news that the CATCH campaign for a new hospital in Tenby has been won after many years of campaigning," said Llyr Hughes Griffiths, the party's local prospective Assembly candidate and a prominent member of CATCH who has led delegations to the National Assembly over the past three years to discuss the issue.
"Plaid Cymru - The Party of Wales is proud that it has played a central role in this campaign from the very beginning at both a local and national level," he continued.
"We thank particularly Mike Williams and Mrs. Pat Wright for their tireless work and leadership of the campaign.
"We look forward to receiving further details about the proposals for Tenby and we will not rest until all of the services currently provided at Tenby Cottage Hospital are made available in a newly built facility."
Tribute to the hardworking campaigners was also paid by Nick Bourne AM for Mid and West Wales and Welsh Conservative leader.
"This is excellent news for Tenby. Tribute must be pat to Pat Wright, the League of Friends of Tenby Hospital and others, who have worked so hard to preserve this hospital for the surrounding area," he said.
"I am pleased that the minister has recognised our campaign and accepted that anything less than a new build hospital for Tenby was simply not good enough."