The Mayor of Tenby is hoping that Lottery funding will be able to help grant councillors their wish to see the town’s historic walls lit up to celebrate their heritage.

Following the felling of the red horse chestnut trees along the resort’s South Parade last month, after an inspection by tree officers from Pembrokeshire County Council, and the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority revealed all the trees must be removed due to fungal infections, councillors proposed that now is the ideal opportunity to illuminate the town walls, something that they’ve touted for many years.

The town clerk, Andrew Davies, recently informed members of the town council that Polly Groom, Cadw’s regional inspector of ancient monuments, had suggested that with a ‘light touch’ approach with careful cabling and installation of well-designed lights, that ‘Scheduled Monument Consent’ could be obtainable for such a project, and that subject to other issues (protected species, neighbours etc), a good lighting scheme could be considered to enhance the setting of the Scheduled Ancient Monument.

Updating members at Tuesday night’s meeting, Mr. Davies said that he had yet to receive a response from Pembrokeshire County Council officers on the suggestion.

He explained that Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority director of park direction and planning, Jane Gibson, would be the lead officer on such a scheme.

PCC are custodians of the town walls, and PCNPA would need to grant planning permission for any project.

Mayor of Tenby, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane, told councillors that she had received some feedback on someone she knew who could advise the town council on securing grant programme funding for the scheme.

“We need to emphasise how illuminating the town’s historic walls would draw visitors to celebrate the heritage of our walls. We could also light up the walls in green and red to help celebrate different events such as St. David’s Day.

“There is a deadline of August 21 to apply for grant funding, which is a very short time frame, but possible, but we may be too late for this year, especially if PCC are not getting back to us.

“Perhaps we could possibly work with the county council’s regeneration manager, Sinead Henehan, and put a package together to tell them how we want to go about achieving this project.

“It may end up being next year now, but we need to start the ball rolling,” she added.

Mr. Davies added that volunteers from Pembrokeshire College were due in town this week to assist with painting the benches and bins along the South Parade to help spruce-up the area.