Developers seeking planning permission to redevelop a property which overlooks Tenby's harbour have won an appeal after their application was initially refused by Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

The site lies to the rear of 46 High Street, with the proposed development submitted by TCW Property Partnership seeking the conversion of service buildings that used to be occupied by Woolworths, into two houses and two flats which would front onto, and be accessed from Crackwell Street.

The plans, which were turned down by the National Park Authority in April of last year, also include three parking spaces serving the flats and one of the houses within a shared garage, whilst the other house would have an integral garage with a single parking space.

Planning inspector Andrew Poulter wrote in his report to grant the appeal, subject to conditions, that the existing service buildings that were built in the 1960s, are 'utilitarian' in design and 'poorly maintained.'

"There is no dispute that they have little aesthetic merit. They are sandwiched between attractive traditional houses that are characteristic of the Conservation Area," he stated.

"They can be seen from the harbour and in other panoramic views of the town. I consider for these reasons that the existing buildings greatly diminish the character and appearance of the Conservation Area," continued Mr. Poulter.

Concerns raised by members of Tenby Town Council over access to the proposed parking spaces on the narrow Crackwell Street, were also addressed in the planning inspector's report, with Mr. Poulter explaining that 'swept path analyses' shows that medium-sized cars would be able to safely enter and leave all the spaces within the proposed three-car garage in forward gear, whilst cars would have to be reversed into or out of the single car garage.

"This could be done safely, given normal care by drivers and pedestrians. I therefore do not consider that there would be an unacceptable impact on road safety," wrote Mr. Poulter.

The report concludes in planning conditions laid out that no development shall take place until the applicant has secured the implementation of a programme of archeological work, to provide an appropriate degree of protection to any remains of vaulting or archeological deposits of a mediaeval origin that exist beneath the floors of the site.