Possibility that a new health facility for Tenby could be sited on the town's former gas holder station in Gas Lane took a new twist this week when National Park planners gave outline consent for 16 flats to be built on the land.

Last week, the Observer revealed that the Pembrokeshire and Derwen NHS Trust had submitted a planning application to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park seeking outline permission for the erection of a health care facility building on the former gas holder site near Tenby's Butts Field car park.

Made through agent Mr. W. Spees, architect, of Hook Manor, Ambleston, the application indicates that the site, neighbouring Tenby Surgery, could accommodate a building of some 1,013 square metres and provide some 39 car parking spaces.

However, the Trust does not own the land, listing themselves as 'prospective purchasers' and before the Park's development control committee on Wednesday was an application by Lattice Property Holdings Ltd., to build flats on the site.

This application had been deferred by planners at their December meeting and Mrs. Cathy Milner, the park's development control officer, admitted that it had been 'on the books a while' awaiting illustrative details and the consent of the applicants that they would sign an agreement in line with the Park's policy restricting occupancy to local and essential need.

The applicants had indicated that they were prepared to do so and the plan now indicated a two-storey block of 16 apartments fronting Gas Lane, with associated landscaping, parking and amenity space.

Mrs. Milner felt that the development was appropriate for what was a brown field site within the development limits of Tenby, but she added that Tenby Town Council had expressed some reservations over the application, given the other application on the site.

She pointed out that any other application for the same land did not preclude members from debating the Lattice Holdings proposal on its merits and, following a site meeting with Park officers, the town council now had no objections.

"Providing the housing needs survey for Tenby shows there is a need for this type of development, and we believe it does, we see no reason why outline consent should not be granted," concluded Mrs. Milner.

A spokesperson for the Health Trust said that this decision would not prevent their own application going forward for consideration.

"We are aware that others may be interested in this location, but we need to be looking at sites ahead of the Assembly's decision," the spokesperson said. "Obviously, we have got to sure we can get permission for health purposes before considering any purchase."