Tenby 2020 held an open meeting last week at which it was agreed to lodge objections to the Joint Unitary Development Plan for Pembrokeshire, when it is published this spring.
The first objection will be to the proposed out-of-town supermarket at New Hedges, the principal reason for the objection being the impact on Tenby town centre. However, there were some residents of New Hedges present at the meeting who also objected to the proposal on the loss of greenfields surrounding the village.
Some Tenby residents spoke in favour of Francis Yard being developed for leisure and conference facilities, but the vast majority of those present at the meeting felt that Francis Yard was the best place for a new supermarket, and the only feasible way of expanding Tenby town centre. It was therefore agreed to object to the proposed change in the town centre boundary.
It was understood that ideally the Francis Yard development should include the site of St. Teilo's School, and that this popular school should be relocated to a site that should be shown in the plan.
The plan should also show a new site for a replacement hospital, assuming the local NHS Trust decide, as hoped, on a replacement for the Cottage Hospital.
It was agreed to oppose the proposed business park at New Hedges, as it is feared retail development could take place there, and it is greenfield land. It was also decided that the site of the proposed business park should be part of a much larger 'green wedge' between Tenby and Saundersfoot, and there should also be a 'green wedge' between Tenby and Penally.
The meeting agreed that playing fields on the edge of town should be designated as protected open spaces, to prevent built development on them. On the other hand, it was felt that the beach car parks, shown on the plan as being outside the town, should be included within the boundary to facilitate development of them, as proposed in Tenby 2020's Action Plan.
Some residents supported the existing tight policy restricting development in the harbour to sea-related uses, but the majority agreed that the policy should be relaxed to allow tourism-related development, including bars and cafes. The meeting agreed to support the proposed industrial development at the Salterns, providing the park-and-ride car park is replaced with at least one new site.
There was a lot of debate on the issue of hotels being converted to flats, and whether there should be a policy to inhibit that process, to protect Tenby's position as a tourist resort, and employment in tourism. It was decided that the management committee should look at this issue again, to see whether they could come up with a better approach
It was agreed to request an extension to Tenby's Conservation Area to include areas of late 19th and early 20th century housing behind the sea-fronts. The meeting also agreed to ask for a policy for action on St. Catherine's Island and on the provision of a low-water landing stage.
Lastly, on the subject of the Unitary Development Plan, the Tenby 2020 meeting agreed there should be new transportation policies on provision of park-and-ride, safe routes to school, access for the disabled, and pedestrian priority in the walled town. It was agreed that new developments within the walled town should not have to provide parking or servicing facilities.
Besides discussing the forthcoming Pembrokeshire Plan, the meeting also discussed Tenby 2020's observations on the recent Traffic Plan for Tenby, and heard presentations from Gordon Doughty, Haverfordwest town centre manager, who spoke on what his job entails, and how it now being funded, and from Chris Evans, from the Tourism Company, who spoke on the designation by the Wales Tourist Board of Tenby as a Tourism Growth Area.