Councillors in Tenby are seeking reassurances from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority that ongoing developments in Tenby adhere to affordable housing policies and other agreements.

Members of the town council recently asked for information from the authority, after an updated list of land allocations and large residential sites included in the Local Development Plan (LDP) came before them at a recent meeting.

Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown queried why the listing for the former Kinloch Court Hotel, overlooking the South Beach, where 14 residential apartments are being developed, seemed to contain no mention of off-site affordable housing provision, while Clr. Dr. Peter Easy also asked if more information could be sought on land to the west of Narberth Road, which had recently been purchased from Pembrokeshire County Council, where it was noted in the LDP update, that private landowers had indicated they would be submitting a planning application to the authority in the short term.

A response from PCNPA planning officer, Sarah Middleton, on the matters came before members of the town council at their meeting on Tuesday night.

“The Kinloch Court development has a unilateral undertaking attached to the permission requiring a sum of £130,000 towards the provision of affordable housing to be paid once five dwellings have been occupied,” she explained.

“There is reference in the Officer’s Report to Committee about this money being used to purchase a housing off-site in Tenby to be available as a social-rented property, managed by Pembrokeshire Housing Association.”

Referencing the land to the west of Narberth Road, Ms Middleton explained that this was allocated in the LDP for 25 houses.

“The county council sold the land to three private individuals who have said (via their agent) that they intend to develop the site, however we have not received any further details or pre-application enquiries.

“They have been advised that if they wish to keep the site in the Plan they will need to complete a Candidate Sites submission form and return it to us by November 25. This is the case for all landowners/developers of sites currently allocated but which haven’t been developed to date,” she added.

Clr. Mrs. Brown asked why the National Park’s affordable housing strategy policy of 60 per cent in Tenby didn’t seem to apply for the Kinloch Court scheme.

She also voiced concern that there was no mention of a Section 106 agreement contributing to the provision of necessary facilities, for example play areas, parks and greens.

“This was discussed when the architects from the Kinloch Court development gave a presentation to us,” she told her colleagues.

“The way I understood it was we would see 106 money available for use at Battery Gardens once the development was completed, but there is no mention of this.

“It seems to me that some of these policies set out by PCNPA seem to have slipped through this scheme with the developers, and I think we have to ask the question why? There needs to be an explanation from PCNPA.

“We also need to make sure that theses policies are adhered to before any development begins to the west of Narberth Road,” added Clr. Mrs. Brown.

The Mayor, Clr. Laurence Blackhall, said that whatever development occurred in the town, there had to be an affordable housing element.

“It would be helpful for some information on this from PCNPA, they have to do an assessment on what is a reasonable amount, so we have to determine what is reasonable and fair, and is £130,000 affordable housing provision a fair amount for a scheme the size of Kinloch Court?” he remarked.

Clr. Mike Evans said that the sites both to the west of Narberth Road and at Brynhir, marked for development would be critical for local people and an opportunity to meet local social housing needs.