County councillor for Saundersfoot, Phil Baker, who attended the meeting of the development management committee on Wednesday, said he was surprised and disappointed that Pembrokeshire County Council and its consultants decided to withdraw the civic amenity site application at the very last minute.

"I received a call from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority at 9 pm on Tuesday evening telling me of the development and asked that I get in touch with as many interested parties as possible, as plans had been made by many people to attend the meeting," he remarked.

"I am also extremely concerned that the residents and staff at Brooklands and all the other directly affected people still have this proposal hanging over them.

"I urge the county council to make their next course of action known as soon as possible and I trust that on their reflection of the Park Authorities report they will accept that this can never be the right site," he added.

Penally and New Hedges county councillor Jon Preston, who was also present at the meeting, said that he saw the withdrawal, after an unsuccessful request to defer the application, as an "avoidance tactic" from the county council.

"Pembrokeshire county council were under no illusion that the application could be successful following the National Park case officer's robust and comprehesive recommendation for refusal," he commented.

"Unfortunately, we have not achieved closure on this issue which will add further distress to the community in and around Brooklands who have been living under this cloud for the past 12 months.

"The officers and elected members of the county council are duty bound to serve and implement the majority will of the people of this county.

"Please be in no doubt that any further attempt to site the civic amenities facility next to Brooklands will be challenged at every level.

"It is now time for the county council to admit this was a bad decision from the onset and dismiss the Brooklands location as an option before more public money is lost on this flawed planning proposal," added Clr. Preston.

Plaid Cymru's Mid and West AM Simon Thomas also commented on the matter: "The council has to be clear now where they are going to place this civic amenity site.

"A Plaid Cymru debate this month in the Senedd has called on the Welsh Government to reform the planning system so that is better respects the principles of sustainable development," he said.