PLANS to site a takeaway food kiosk at a former lifeboat store in Tenby’s seaside harbour are expected to be approved next month despite concerns it would open “a priceless historical area to unacceptable and unsuitable commercial exploitation.”
Ruby Goodrick is seeking permission from Pembrokeshire Coast National Park planners to turn the old RNLI lifeboat store, Penniless Cove, Tenby Harbour into a takeaway cold food outlet, open 10am-10pm seven days a week.
A supporting statement accompanying the application says she has a five-year lease from the council to use the site; an accompany flood risk assessment saying the beach-side site is not at risk of tidal flooding is considered low risk.
Caution has been raised by the national park’s conservation officer, saying: “Great care is needed not to introduce inappropriate commercial use or an unacceptable level of such, the harbour is already served by a kiosk selling hot drinks and small snacks.”
The scheme has previously come under fire from Tenby Civic Society and Tenby North county councillor Michael Williams.
Cllr Williams wrote to the park authority saying: “To allow this development would do considerable damage to the historical environment of the harbour estate which is a Grade-II-listed building.”
He pointed out that this is the only area of the harbour where commercial fishing activities can be operated, and it is used by a number of commercial fishing vessels to land catches.
“The very nature of this work would be entirely incompatible with this proposal,” Cllr Williams added.
“My other concern is that a precedent might well be created opening up this priceless historical area to unacceptable and unsuitable commercial exploitation.”
Tenby Civic Society has previously said one of the Local Development Plan policies is to preserve Tenby harbour as a ‘working harbour’.
“The proposal is commercial and would conflict with that, in a boat working area and would not add value to boat working,” said Harry Gardiner, on behalf of the society.
The scheme is now recommended for conditional approval at the national park’s development management committee meeting of March 5.
The application comes before committee members rather than an officer decision as Tenby Town Council has objected, and it is recommended for approval despite being a departure from the adopted development plan.
An officer report, recommending approval, says: “Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposed used would introduce a retail element to this area of the hHarbour, on balance, officers consider that no significant harm would be caused to the character of Tenby Harbour as a result of this development since the use proposed occupies a relatively small floor area, and would not be a destination in and of itself, rather, it would rely on the existing footfall within the harbour.”
It adds: “Overall, the proposal is deemed to be acceptable, and as such, a recommendation to grant permission, following the expiration of the press notice, subject to no new material considerations being raised as a result.”
A related application for a display board to the front of the property advertising the takeaway is also recommended for approval at the meeting.
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