An environmental organisation was slammed by members of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's planning committee this week for holding up a decision on an application involving Tenby's St. Catherine's Island.

The chairman of Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's development management committee, Mrs. Gwyneth Hayward, called the actions by Natural Resources Wales (NRW), a statutory consultee on planning decisions, "lamentable" after the organisation failed to give their responses in time to the planning authority so a decision could be passed on an application to turn the historic Tenby landmark at Castle Beach into a visitor attraction.

Members of the planning committee gathered to discuss the application submitted by Peter Prosser at their meeting on Wednesday morning, but were left angered when solicitor, Mr. Charles Felgate, who provides legal advice on planning matters, reported that 10 minutes before the meeting, NRW had informed the authority via email that further information was required that precluded the application from going ahead.

Chairman Mrs. Hayward told committee members that the item would have to be deferred and brought back to the next meeting.

"I find this situation truly lamentable, and feel very sad for all the people involved in the hard work in putting this application together who have come to this meeting today expecting a decision," she commented.

"A very forceful letter will be winging its way to Natural Resources Wales I'm sure," added Mrs. Hayward.

Committee member Clr. Michael Williams, a county councillor for Tenby, said he found the actions of NRW "absolutely staggering", while his colleague, Clr. Bob Kilmister, said it was "unacceptable".

"To inform us at this late stage is unacceptable. People have turned up to this meeting and the fact that we can't go ahead is not our fault," remarked Clr. Kilmister.

"If we did such a thing, we'd be quite rightly criticised from the rooftops!" he continued.

Clr. Rob Lewis suggested that the authority also write to the First Minister for Wales to make a complaint on the matter, informing the Government how NRW's actions had impacted on a decision being made.

Following the meeting, a statement from the Tenby Island Project developers called the situation a 'farce' and a 'fiasco'.

"As you might imagine we are not happy about the situation, but this is simply another hurdle - there have been quite a few already and this probably won't be the last!" said applicant Peter Prosser.

"The planning committee of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park was thrown into a peculiar situation.

"As this complaint goes forward, we in turn will seek answers as to why Natural Resources Wales have withheld information that is required by planning process and have done so until the 11th hour, something they knew would halt proceedings.

"Up to the moment of writing they have not disclosed to the applicant what this information is or what they require.

"Indeed, there is significant question if they can require anything at all, having already been through the appeal process. However, it does appear that even with prior knowledge and extensive consultation opportunities, NRW have failed to do their work inside the allotted time designated for statutory consultees," continued Mr. Prosser.

"As you may know, the initial application went through the vetting and requirement stage and all sorts of reports were drawn up and written as requested. This went on through the appeal stage where the Inspector scrutinised all these reports and gave NRW the opportunity to bring forth any concerns.

"NRW brought everything they could think of to the table and this resulted in a further bat report being required.

"We had to seek a new bat surveying consultant and new reports - these new reports came to the same conclusion as the first report and this done, we consulted again with NRW in a joint meeting with the National Park. Nothing further was required by NRW and so the application was resubmitted with the new bat report.

"NRW failed to comment within the allotted time. They then informed the National Park that they were objecting, but not why.

"In the three months they had to process the same information that they have been reviewing for two years, one would assume that they had enough time to work out if something was needed long before the meeting.

"This doesn't stop the project, it does delay aspects of it, but with the beach warming up and the sun shining, we are looking forward to a happy summer sharing a beautiful island," added Mr. Prosser.