Plans to site a takeaway food kiosk at the former lifeboat hut at Tenby harbour are expected to be approved, despite concerns it would open the area to ‘unsuitable commercial exploitation’.

Ruby Goodrick is seeking permission from the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority to turn the old RNLI lifeboat store alongside the Mayor’s slipway into a takeaway outlet titled ‘Trulys @ The Harbour’, with a view to opening from 10am to 10pm, seven-days-a-week.

A supporting statement says the applicant has a five-year lease from Pembrokeshire County Council to use the site; and an accompanying 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, stating: “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.”

Now a further planning application (reference: NP/24/0670/ADV) for a fascia sign board to the face of the property has been submitted to PCNPA by the applicant, who itends to call the outlet ‘Trulys @ The Harbour’
A further planning application (reference: NP/24/0670/ADV) for a fascia sign board to the face of the property has also been submitted to PCNPA by the applicant, who itends to call the outlet ‘Trulys @ The Harbour’ (PCNPA)

The scheme has previously come under fire from Tenby Civic Society, and Tenby’s county councillor for the North ward Cllr Michael Williams, who stated: “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 continued in his objections to PCNPA.

“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.

Tenby RNLI inshore lifeboat
The RNLI hut was the former home of the inshore lifeboat (Observer pic)

The scheme is now recommended for conditional approval at PCNPA’s development management committee meeting on March 5.

The application comes before committee members rather than an officer decision as Tenby Town Council has also objected; and it is recommended for approval despite being a departure from the adopted development plan.

An officer report, recommending approval, states: “Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposed used would introduce a retail element to this area, 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.”

“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 building’s frontage, advertising the takeaway is also recommended for approval.