Updated plans for the controversial Brynhir housing development in Tenby, which will see fewer homes built than originally proposed, have been unanimously approved by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

In 2018, Pembrokeshire County Council, which already owned the 15-acre Brynhir site, ‘bought’ the land for £4million using its Housing Revenue Account.

Campaigners fought a two-year battle against the use of the land for housing, calling for protection for Tenby’s ‘last green space’

The County Council was granted outline planning permission by PCNPA for the development of 144 properties - but it is now proposed that only 125 houses will be built, 93 of them affordable, and, of the 32 open market dwellings, 16 are shared ownership properties.

Tenby’s county councillor for the south ward, Cllr Sam Skyrme-Blackhall, who sits on PCNPA’s development management committee told the Observer on the day that the plans were passed (September 4): “This will lead to 93 Council housing properties being built. They will be local houses for local people. They can't be sold, they will always be Council housing.

“Building will start next year with 125 properties in total.

There will be a buffer zone around the site which will include a landscaped circular walk around the boundary of the site. Extensive consultations have shaped the final scheme. Some conditions were attached to the approval to ensure that any concerns raised will be addressed during the building stage.

“I believe that this is a hugely important decision for Tenby,” continued Cllr Skyrme-Blackhall.

“We need housing for local people and I am delighted that 93 properties will be Council housing. This is good news for our schools and good news for Tenby.

“Properties will be let on a strict local letting policy, which means Tenby and the immediate surrounding area only.

“I would like to congratulate the teams from Pembrokeshire Council on getting to this stage but I also say loudly and clearly, that the real hard work starts now and we have to do all that we can to ensure that these properties are built as soon as possible.

“We have a housing crisis now and need this properties built and let to local people.

“I know that not everyone will be happy. There are people who opposed the scheme for quite legitimate reasons but in the end, for me the balance of the argument was in favour of the scheme and the housing it will provide,” she added.