Sir,

I have just been looking at the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority website and in particular at the progress being made with the new Local Development Plan.

I note that the Plan identifies 11 so-called candidate sites around Saundersfoot put forward for consideration as suitable sites for development. An initial assessment of these sites appears to have been undertaken already but I understand that a review is due to take place in March/April and, in the light of any new input from interested parties, a re-assessment will take place.

Clearly there is a need to provide adequate housing for local families, rather than yet more housing taken up either by retirees to the area, or as second homes or as properties to let, but development should be proportionate and not to the detriment of the majority of residents. Undoubtedly landowners stand to gain hugely if agricultural land is approved as a candidate site and thereafter given planning permission. Certain businesses too may gain from an enlargement of the community - though not if our small rural seaside village loses its charm and appeal to tourists in the process.

What will the community at large gain from development of these sites? They will impact on wildlife habitat and natural beauty of the countryside around the village, and a large influx of people will put extreme pressure on the local school and medical services. There is likely to be the loss of local amenities such as public footpaths through woodland and fields used by locals and tourists alike to exercise themselves and their dogs. We can expect more traffic congestion and emissions around the school and in the village itself, which is a conservation area. Could the narrow pavements and roads cope? And what of increased traffic flow on village approach roads like the B4316? Do we really want to open out the last remaining lane access route, with its postcard features, to accommodate this traffic? To what extent to residents want our local authority officers and councillors to expand rather than sustain the community of Saundersfoot?

No doubt there is a need for more local housing but large-scale developments would be inappropriate and disproportionate. I hope we can depend on officers and councillors who represent us to act to ensure that ‘all’ interests are properly catered for and no action is taken which results in encroachment on our smallest National Park, or loss of greenfield sites. After all any such action will be irreversible.

Name and address supplied.