Hopes to realise a vision to turn Tenby’s St Catherine’s Island into a family tourist attraction are still being pursued.

A new planning application has been made to the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park authority in relation to the landmark island, off Castle Beach.

The island been open to the public - when tides permit - since November 2013, with the aim of the Tenby Island Project to be allowed further development to increase its appeal to visitors.

Plans are to change the use of the Grade II Listed fort to a visitor attraction with gift, food and drink retail and including the change of use of the generator house for ticket and reatil use; restoring and replacing railings, installation of two cranes and two boat landings, a dwelling for security staff, toilet and pumping facilities, a cliff nature walk, signage and lighting, eplacing the fort entrance bridge, repairing stairs and installing new CCTV.

The initial application by the project’s Peter Prosser was turned down by National Park planners, and a subsequent appeal by Mr Prosser was dismissed by a planning inspector after a three-day hearing.

The dismissal was on technical issues regarding bat surveys, and these have now been carried out in conjunction with Natural Resources Wales.

As a result, a new application has been submitted and this is due to be discussed tonight (Tuesday) by Tenby Town Council which will make its views known to the National Park Authority.