Plans to re-open Tenby’s historic St. Catherine’s Island and Fort have been given a boost this week, after a ‘change of use’ application was approved by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

An application by Simon Fry, for a change of use to visitor attraction and associated works at the landmark, which is located at the foot of the resort’s Castle Beach, was given the thumbs up by the Authority, following recommended approval from members of Tenby Town Council last month.

The plans come to the fold, after the developers behind the ‘Tenby Island Project’ pulled out of a scheme last summer to re-establish the island and fort as a visitor attraction.

“We very much appreciate all those who have supported the re-opening of the island and fort as we work towards completing everything necessary for an early Easter 2017 opening,” St Catherine’s Island’s manager John Loring told the Observer.

“The preservation, upkeep and maintenance of the island and fort remains our highest priority.

“Over the winter months we have worked on building new and promising relationships with organisations, societies and clubs and discussed many opportunities that can potentially benefit the local community.

“We would publicly appeal to all the youth groups throughout the area to contact us to explore the educational value in visiting us on the island or even becoming part of one of the future projects.

“We are a small but dedicated team and face a mammoth task, fraught with challenges and obstacles but our resolve remains solid as a rock.

“Our present planning permission status caters for a ‘change of use’ to Tourist Attraction only, so it will be the quality of guides and our imaginative use of making the best of what we have that is the order of the day.

“The one common goal shared by the significant majority is to see the Island & Fort open to the public, trained guides to provide information and the preservation of the Islands unique and colourful history, today we are one step closer to achieving this,” he added.

The island and fort recently featured in the season finalé of BBC One’s ‘Sherlock’ doubling up as a maximum security prison called Sherrinford.

For further information you can email [email protected]

You can also keep up to date with developments at the island by following their new Facebook page at www.facebook.com/StCatherinesIsland/