Over the first week of the Easter holidays, and heading into Good Friday and the busy Bank Holiday, many visitors to Tenby have been wondering what all the work taking place on the sands of the seaside town’s North Beach and harbour is for?

Tenby Harbour and North Beach users have been asked to be aware of heavy moving machinery since Tuesday (March 26) to Friday, March 29 as dredging work is carried out.

Sand is being removed from the mouth of the Harbour and deposited at the north end of the beach. The work will not affect vessel movements at the Harbour.

Dredging has taken place annually around the harbour area over the past few years, after concerns were expressed by local councillors and harbour users that high levels of sandbanks that were forming, were causing disruption to boats entering and exiting the area.

Pembrokeshire County Council has come in for heavy criticism of late for not tackling the problem, with some harbour users voicing their concerns that it is becoming ‘unworkable’.

The annual operation to crane the boats back into the harbour waters is scheduled to take place after the Easter holidays on Wednesday, April 10.

Renewed calls have been made to the Local Authority regarding operational difficulties at the harbour, with fears expressed that the area will become unusable if sandbanks continue to develop at an alarming rate.

Councillors and members of Tenby Harbour Users Association have previously flagged-up concerns to Pembrokeshire County Council about the high level of sand sweeping towards Goscar Rock across the North Beach, leaving high sandbanks around a large section of the harbour seabed, making it difficult for boats to get in and out of the area.

County councillor for Tenby’s North ward Cllr Michael Williams last year underlined the ongoing concerns: “Such are the limitations now in Tenby harbour, it might be time to review the level of harbour dues in particular as they relate to commercial users, as they find it more and more difficult to use the harbour, but the limitations of access to moorings affects all users,” he told the Observer.

“There should be a critical examination of what exactly mooring holders pay for, and does what they pay reflect value for money? Access has recently become difficult and indeed can be dangerous to visiting fin keel yachts such is the limitations on vessel draft.

“I note that many nautical almanacs no longer offer correct advice to visiting vessels due to the diminishing depth available when entering the harbour,” he continued.

Cllr Williams also wrote to PCC’s head of infrastructure Darren Thomas expressing these fresh concerns, stating: “I am increasingly concerned about the apparent siltation of Tenby harbour that is taking place.

“I have been a mooring holder for almost 60 years and in that time my ability to float to my mooring has reduced by around 50 minutes. On certain spring tides, my vessel failed to float for in excess of 24 hours.

“There is considerable concern being expressed by experienced harbour users that the harbour is becoming unviable at certain times, and the situation in the Aral sea comes to mind!

“Our harbour master does arrange a dredging of the harbour entrance each spring, but I’m afraid this exercise now bears little fruit, giving only a very short term and marginal improvement, and I fear that is now becoming futile at a considerable cost.

“I’m at a loss to offer a short-term solution, and I am completely unable to offer any thoughts which might lead to an early improvement, with the movement of sand appearing to be in a northerly direction denuding the South beach while building at an alarming rate on the North side.

“I am aware of one long term study that has been undertaken by an experienced local engineer which appeared to blame a subtle change in weather conditions exacerbating the problem, and usually being reluctant to suggest that outside consultants be used, I see no other option at this time,” he remarked.

On the work currently taking place, Tenby Harbourmaster Chris Salisbury said a licence for the dredging had been issued after several months of application work.

“We ask that the public please keep clear of the operating area and that dogs are kept on a lead during this time,” Chris said,.

Cllr Rhys Sinnett, Cabinet Member for Residents’ Services, said: “I’m grateful to our officers for securing the licence for this work to go ahead. This dredging is essential for the operation of Tenby Harbour.

“The timing of the work has been governed by the tide and the dates represented the last opportunity for the work to be carried out before the boats are placed back in the water.”