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Bluestone Planning Permission deferred A large audience listened to the arguments for and against the proposals to construct the Bluestone Holiday project in a meeting of the Development Control committee of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park held in the Queens Hall, Narberth on Monday 29th August 2003. Chairperson Ms Heard informed the meeting at the start that no tape recording of the meeting would be allowed and that notes would have to be taken in the old fashion way. She informed the meeting that all members were aware of the code of conduct and should have an open not closed mind and as a result should base their decision on evidence put before them. She then informed the committee that she had to declare an interest. Mr Hancock and Mrs Magany also left the meeting after declaring financial and other interests. Although the project had received the backing of Pembrokeshire County Council with a £1,000,000 loan. County Council members who were present did not declare an interest and took part in the debate. Independent County Councillor and Cabinet Member Allen Mirehouse from Angle took a major part and it was his proposal to defer a decision on the application that was carried. Representations from those for and against were made and each given a three minute slot to present their views. The majority of the presentations were based on the financial benefits or adverse effects it would have on those making the representations or members of the organisations they represented. Mr McNamara assured the committee that Bluestone would employ 600 people in full time positions when his project was fully up and running. He indicated it would have no effect on existing staffing levels of existing holiday businesses who the committee was informed could not at present find suitable staff even out of the main season. Concern was expressed that these positions would have to be filled by personnel imported from Eastern Europe, which would cause problems to the wider community in relation to housing the imported personnel. Councillor Allen Mirehouse was concerned that Pembrokeshire would suffer a great financial loss if the project was not given planning permission estimated at 30 million pounds. However he did not give any figures in relation to losses which would be suffered by existing similar businesses such as the self catering industry or indeed the Oakwood complex which the committee were informed would have no direct link to the Bluestone Complex. It was pointed out that residents of the Bluestone Complex would have to leave on foot and walk alongside the main road and enter Oakwood from the front entrance. Mr Mathew Evans speaking on behalf of his own agency and several of the other Pembrokeshire based self catering letting agencies pointed out that Wales Tourist board had not committed any funds to the project at present as they were not fully aware of the full details of the project. The chairperson of the committee was concerned regarding this issue and queried the relationship of Mr Mathew Evans to the chairman of the Wales Tourist Board who he thought was his father. He indicated that as far as he was aware the Wales Tourist Board had already given approval to the project and the funds they had promised were secure. There was concern that all the facts regarding the Wales Tourist Board financial support did not seem to be out in the open so that a fair appraisal could be made. Mr Daniel Fellows the local trade unionist informed the meeting that he represented 10,000 people in employment and many thousands unemployed in the county. He stated he was fully supportive of the project, comparing it to the Eden project and the benefits that resulted from its construction to the surrounding area. A Mr Lort Phillips from Lawrenny who supported the project was of the opinion that as the farming industry was in decline it would need to diversity into tourism both individually and collectively and in fact they were becoming one industry. Allison Thomas a pupil from the Milford Haven Comprehensive School informed the committee that she felt that this project would solve the problems of family life and other anti social behaviour in the Milford Haven area. She stated that her father had been an employee at the Pembroke Power station until it was closed and had been forced to seek employment in England and would therefore be delighted to come back to a job in Bluestone, which would have a beneficial effect on their family life. She informed the committee that the reason local youngsters were turning to crime was because they were bored. Website Comments Mr Fellows the union official's comparison of Bluestone to the Eden project which is a 'one-off' project with nothing similar around, to Bluestone which has a similar attraction alongside in Oakwood and hundreds of higher grade accommodation units in the surrounding area is a poor comparison and of little value. The confusion over the Wales Tourist Board allocation of £1,000,000 funds to the project without them seeing a detailed business plan even at this late stage that allowed other tax funded agencies to support the project should be fully investigated. The issue of Pembrokeshire County council members who have already promised a loan of £1,000,000 pounds of taxpayers money to part fund the project being involved in the planning permission decision is controversial when other committee members with lesser interests being deemed to have a conflict of interest. Mr Lort Phillips' view of the tourism industry and the small contribution played by the farming industry can not be considered realistic in comparison to the actual reason for the majority of holidaymakers coming to Pembrokeshire, namely the coastal scenery and the towns of Tenby, Saundersfoot, St David's and Pembroke with the added bonus of Oakwood, Heatherton and Folly Farm. All of which will obviously be financially affected by any new taxpayer subsidised/funded visitor attraction. Many in the holiday industry would argue that the granting of financial aid by the Wales Tourist Board and other public bodies in the large percentages now being allocated to the farming industry to diversify into tourism especially the accommodation sector has had a detrimental affect on the rest of the tourism industry in Pembrokeshire. The excuse of boredom given by Allison Thomas for criminal behaviour is typical of the minority of young people today when they have never had so many opportunities and facilities to occupy themselves compared to past generations. The great majority of youngsters do not cause problems in society finding activities to occupy themselves or finding part time jobs to prepare them for the future world of work. The holiday industry which I presume Miss Thomas aspires to join has this year suffered a shortage of staff so questions need to be asked as to what effort Miss Thomas and her fellow protesters have made to obtain employment in an industry they wish to join as full time employees. Conclusion This planning permission is beginning to become farcical and should have been the subject of a full planning enquiry so that a totally independent body could investigate the pros and cons of the application, without local and national government political interference, which has obviously taken place, on a project which has far reaching effects on the tourism industry in Pembrokeshire.