Plans for extension work and a new vehicular access to be introduced at a Tenby hotel have been met with concerns by local councillors.

Members of Tenby Town Council previously discussed a pre-planning application from Leisureplex Ltd. proposing a four-storey extension and new vehicular access at the Grade II listed Cliffe Norton Hotel located along the Norton above the resort’s North Beach.

At the time, members on the whole supported the development, but stated that they had one or two concerns on the siting of the access area, as they thought it might infringe on the pedestrian crossing nearby.

Discussing the full set of plans at their meeting on Tuesday night, councillors said that they still had concerns over the application, which included the construction of a three-storey extension to the rear of the hotel, as well as the creation of vehicular access through the existing building to connect to the rear car park.

“I don’t understand how they can expect to make a damned great hole for cars to drive through, ruining this 18th century building that is fronting our resort,” remarked Clr. Mrs. Christine Brown.

“To make a new entrance just for eight car parking spaces at the back is ridiculous,” she added.

“It’s very scary and beggar’s belief that someone can come along with plans like this that could affect the whole of the town,” said Deputy Mayor, Clr. Mrs. Sue Lane.

“This is a coaching hotel, and they’re very lucky there that they have enough room for coaches to turn around. Also they are not far from the North Beach car park. I accept that it is a nice plan for the hotel and would be a good investment for the town, but I’d strongly object to the plans as they are, knocking a hole through the building,” she continued.

Clr. Trevor Hallett told his colleagues that he was not against some form of development there, but that demolishing part of the hotel and making a hole in the building would spoil the whole vista of the road.

“It’s an iconic place and trying to carry out a development where you have a busy pedestrian crossing and a wide junction that has traffic coming through all day and night is going to be hard,” he claimed.

The town clerk, Andrew Davies, told members that the premises from 10 to 13 on the Norton was a Grade II listed building.

Clr. Dr. Peter Easy felt that hotel expansion in the town should be welcomed, and that it would be worthwhile development, but agreed that the town council should write to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority with their concerns and ask for the vehicular access plans and frontage aspect to be reconsidered, along with a traffic management survey to be conducted for that area.