The future of Saundersfoot's Cambrian Hotel was decided this week, when members of the National Park's development management committee unanimously gave their backing an application to turn the hotel into 16 self-contained flats. Park planning officers had recommended refusal to committee members, stating that the proposal would weaken the village's ability to retain its resort status, and that the application was contrary to Local Plan policy, as it would detract from the character of the Saundersfoot Conservation Area. "It is seen that the application to convert the Cambrian from a hotel into apartments, would reduce the general level of activity and public facilities that the ground floor provides in terms of an eating and drinking source in a prominent location on the village's front," explained development control officer, Mrs. Cathy Milner, at Wednesday's meeting. Speaking at the meeting on behalf of Mr. and Mrs. Mike Fry, the hotel's proprietors, Mr. Charles Hopkinson, of Graham H. Evans Estate Agents, stressed that the hotel was simply not viable anymore. "The Cambrian Hotel has become more and more dependent on bookings from coach tours in recent years, and even that source of trade has been on the decline," he stated, "It's unfair to expect a trader to continue with a business that is no longer viable, and the only sensible option is to convert the business, unless people want to see a closed, boarded-up hotel at the end of the month." Committee member, Clr. Michael Williams said that he would reluctantly go against the recommendation for refusal and offer his backing to the application. "My heart says no, but my head says yes, as it is clear that the Cambrian in its current form as a hotel is no longer viable," he remarked. "Although it is widely regarded as one of the best two-star hotels in the area, people are clearly no longer looking to stay in that form of accommodation, with self-catering and bed and breakfasts proving far more in demand," he added. Clr. John Allen-Mirehouse agreed with his fellow member. "By insisting that a hotelier is forced to keep a non-profit hotel open, we would not be serving the best interests of Pembrokeshire, and whilst I would prefer to see the Cambrian remain as a hotel, its decline as that form of accommodation makes it clear that it would benefit the village more to have 16 apartments rather than a closed hotel," he commented. The committee unanimously voted in favour of approval of the application, with most agreeing that the frontage of the building should not be altered, apart from amendments to the hotel signage. FOOTNOTE: A decision on an application to convert the Saundersfoot's Rhodewood House Hotel into a residential development, consisting of 40 flats within six blocks, was deferred at the same meeting, as a late recommendation of refusal of the application was submitted by the Highway Authority who were objecting on the grounds of 'inadequate parking spaces provided'. Although two applications seeking outline approval for the redevelopment of the site to residential were granted in June, NP officers will now arrange a further meeting with the applicants, and also Saundersfoot Community Council, who have a number of concerns over the scale of the development.
