Tenby does not need or more importantly could not cope with such an expansion to its current urban perimeter: Sir, As a writer, I will paint a scenario of what will happen in the near future should the proposed Brynhir housing development go ahead.

When I was living in Australia in the early 1990s, I travelled extensively over the entire continent watching the cities grow. The capital city of Canberra, between 1991 and 1992, was expanding at a rate of an entire suburb being built every six months to accommodate the influx of semi-skilled, skilled and professional migrants coming from countries all over the world, to a land of opportunity.

As these developments had been planned a long time before implementation, careful consideration had been given not only to the growing infrastructure, but to the important services such as schools, hospital surgeries, bus stations and their routes, residential homes, plus a whole lot more of other aspects that allow society to function and flow as freely as possible, so to avoid obstacles that would get in the way of everyone’s daily and sometimes not so daily routines.

So what’s the difference between that development model and the Brynhir development?

Simple! Money!

The Australian government, from the coal, iron ore and whatever other mines the country had, were exporting these raw materials to other countries and from those vast revenues they were re-investing into their country.

This was hard cash! And lots and lots of cash! Cash only the Pembrokeshire County Council could dream of having to invest in what is becoming a slowly crumbling, pitiful scenario that will be made far worse if the development goes ahead.

So what about social housing, I hear some of you cry?

How many people do you see out on the streets of Tenby, destitute, who have not chosen to be? Well, unless I need to go to Specsavers, I can see none!

Also, I’ll cut short the argument of how will youngsters get onto the property ladder in our town? I’m afraid that is now a pipedream for most of them, although there will now be some apparently affordable housing built at the back of the Knowling Mead housing estate in the near future.

So, let’s shoot forward in a time capsule to the year 2030. Yes, only 10 odd years away.

The Brynhir development has now been built and the few luxury houses that had been sold overlooking the islands of Caldey and St. Margaret’s are now second homes. All the social housing that has been allocated, has now been filled, mostly by people from away.

Now again, I hear people cry, ‘Well we will need these young people to look after a growing older population!’

The Tenby Town Council members commented on the outline plans saying ‘it would be a significant development for the town.’ By then, some of them would be in an environment quite different to where they live now, or would possibly be closer then to Brynhir without a view! Hell of a legacy to leave for the townsfolk!

This older population, who are fortunate enough not to need to enter a residential home, and who will eventually have to put their names down for the 20-year waiting list, will have to miss a bus each hour to go into town, as each bus has now become like the tube in London, with people crammed in like sardines. You think I’m joking? Look occasionally at it now and then remember they are now already cutting back services.

The school can barely cope with the traffic now! Yet another 145 homes, from which most parents will drive their children to school, will cause even more chaos.

So now to the hard-hitting hammer blow fact as to why this development could possibly go ahead, and why unfortunately a lack of vision and greed could get the better of the town of Tenby.

Just over a month ago, I injured my leg. As a result, the wound needed to be dressed almost on a daily basis, as it occurred on my tibia which can take a long time to heal. Over the weeks, I have had four different nurses and have asked each the same question about their feelings on the Brynhir project.

Each and every single one of them gave me the same reply, and this is what it was.

‘No one ever gives consideration as to the increase in pressure on the health service in our county. We are already at breaking point and yet Pembrokeshire County Council wants to bring more people into what is more than a far outstretched service. It just doesn’t make sense!?’

And as to the point of greed. Most local business people welcome this development as it brings more people into the county, and helps to increase their profits. Nothing wrong with that, except they don’t throw piles of cash into our local economy, nor need our NHS as they can go private.

Pembrokeshire County Council now has to justify why they bought the land and what they propose to do with it. That’s peer pressure in itself

As I said, Pembrokeshire County Council is not the rich Australian government.

Lance Russell,

Tenby.

SIGNIFICANT CONCERNS

Sir, Last Saturday, members of the Tenby and Saundersfoot branch of the Labour Party had a long discussion regarding the proposals for the Brynhir housing development.

As residents of the town and surrounding district, we do understand the need for more affordable homes, and social homes in the locality, but we wish to express significant concerns about this proposed development.

Firstly, as described by last week’s letter-writer, the environmental impact will be devastating. A relatively small amount of ‘landscaping’ and promise of a children’s park in an estate of 145 houses, will not make up for the loss of a beautiful, wild, open, green area, which also acts as part of the ‘barrier’ between Tenby and New Hedges at one end, and town at the other end.

Once it is gone, it can never return.

Secondly, when members of this branch attempted to query, with a local councillor, exactly how many ‘affordable’ homes and council housing would be amongst the 145, they were stone-walled.

If this is the major selling point of the argument for going ahead, can anyone confirm the exact number of the properties which are absolutely guaranteed to be affordable/social houses, and how many of those will be specified as being designated for local people, i.e. people who are living in or near Tenby - and have done so for a number of years - and need these, as permanent homes?

Or is this another example of a necessary development being proposed in the wrong space - just like the civic amenity centre now in Devonshire Drive?

M. Neate,

Tenby.