Consultation has begun on a pre-planning application proposing 34 residential apartments, and ground floor retail units on the site of the former Royal Mail Delivery Office building in Tenby.

Formal notice has been given that the company Trillium (RMF) Ltd, which specialises in consulting and engineering services, that an application is to be submitted to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority for planning permission and conservation area consent for a scheme that incorporates a four storey residential apartment building and a two storey rear mews building which will deliver 34 residential apartments (comprising 23 one-bed units, 11 two-bed units) alongside 116 sqm of commercial space at ground floor level.

The residential development will be served by 10 parking spaces (including one electric vehicle charging point), cycle storage, waste storage and a roof-top amenity area, and a complimentary landscaping scheme.

The application which has been submitted for the demolition of the existing building at 1 Warren Street and construction of a residential-led mixed use development incorporating Class A1/A2/A3 and D2 floorspace, and all associated developments, is set to be discussed by members of Tenby town council at their remote meeting next week (July 20).

In correspondence set. to come before town councillors, associate director of Tetra Tech Planning Rob Mitchell stated: “The proposed development follows detailed pre-application discussions with Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority officers.

“The scheme seeks to bring back into beneficial use a disused, largely vacant site at a prominent location in Tenby town. A respectful and sensitive design approach has been adopted, formulated in close consultation with the National Park Authority, in order to deliver a characterful development which positively enhances the Tenby conservation area.

“The submitted proposals have been formulated having special regard to safeguarding surrounding heritage assets and enhancing the wider conservation area, in accordance with prevailing national and adopted local policy and placemaking objectives.”

In correspondence sent to the town council, Harry Gardiner, chair of Tenby Civic Society’s planning sub-committee, has outlined some concerns over the proposals.

“There is much carefully thought out detail, particularly in the ‘period’ elevations, already discussed with the planners, but there are two main concerns on which there should be wider debate,” stated Mr. Gardiner.

“Is the introduction of five storeys on a main crossroads where there are currently one and two storeys, in character with the location and the Conservation Area, or is it visually intrusive?

“Also, is the exclusion of any affordable or social rented housing wrong when Tenby’s resident housing stock is being ‘hollowed out’ by Airbnb and holiday lets.

“The reports only assert that financial viability is essential for the scheme, they do not discuss the current local sale market, housing need for different tenures or household types, yet this would be an ideal location for locally allocated social housing, which latter, to us, will produce better results for locals in Tenby than the ‘affordable’ policy,” he continued.

Full details of the pre-planning application consultation can be viewed at: https://consultations.tetratecheurope.com/consultations/warren-street-tenby/