An application for 25 self-catering holiday lodges at a holiday park near Saundersfoot has been approved despite concerns from local councillors, with the need to prove it is safe after historic mine workings were found on site.

The scheme for the 25 units at the existing Sunnyvale Holiday Park, Valley Road, Wooden, close to the National Park boundary, was recommended for conditional approval at the January meeting of Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning committee.

Objections had been raised by local community council East Williamston saying the proposal would lead to an overabundance of self-catering accommodation which would add strain on local services, and also raised concerns on highway safety.

An officer report said: “Comprising of three bedrooms, each unit would have the benefit of an associated car parking space and raised veranda to provide access into the unit and an external amenity area.”

It says that the scheme would “not have a significant detrimental impact” on residential amenity, adding: “The proposed changes will increase the traffic movement to this site in comparison with the current level, however the intensification arising from the proposed development is not likely to create a significant impact upon the public highway overall.”

The report also said investigations had found “the presence of bell pits/mine entries within the site including possible surface opencast workings,” adding: “To inform the extent of any remedial and or mitigation required, recommendations have been made that further intrusive site investigations are required in order that the site can be made safe and stable for the development proposed.”

Following a recommendation the application be backed by Cllr Alan Dennison, the scheme was unanimously approved, one condition including investigations of the mine workings and “prior to first beneficial use of the site submission of a declaration confirming the site is safe and stable for the proposed development”.