COUNCILLORS were given the chance to scrutinise ambitious plans to regenerate Saundersfoot harbour, at a meeting on Thursday (March 19).

Philip Evans, Chair of the Harbour Commission, and Mike Davies, Saundersfoot Harbour manager, spoke to members of the economy overview and scrutiny committee about the project, which has been awarded a £1.5m loan from the county council.

The project, which is expected to bring around 60 permanent jobs, will see the harbour capacity almost doubled, with a new boat racking system, a landing pontoon, and decking to cover the existing sluice.

It will also see the old Jones & Teague building - which was demolished last week - replaced with a marine centre of excellence, the installation of a Tall Ship heritage display, and the development of the former Barbecue building into a tourism centre with retail units and Covent Garden-style covered plaza.

Cllr Michael John said any project that would increase jobs and footfall could only be good for the local economy.

Cllr David Lloyd said it was the ‘most exciting project for developing tourism’ that he had seen in his life, and praised the fact it was a ‘community project that didn’t rely on companies coming in from outside’, adding it could work as a ‘possible template’ for other local projects.

Cllr Jonathan Nutting described the plans as ‘great for Saundersfoot’ but said he was concerned it did not seem to be part of an overall strategy for Pembrokeshire.

Dr Steven Jones, the council’s director of development, said Cllr Nutting was obviously not aware that plans to improve the marine leisure sector in Pembrokeshire – of which the Saundersfoot project was part – had been in the pipeline since 2008.

Chairman Cllr Michael John added that it was up to individual town teams to come up with plans.

Cllr John Allen-Mirehouse said the plans were ‘bang in line’ with Welsh Government strategies, and said there was no reason other developments couldn’t happen around Pembrokeshire in tandem. “It’s not a question of either/or,” he said.

Local member Cllr Phil Baker, who was invited to speak after the presentation, spoke passionately in praise of the project, and gave it his full support.

He said local concerns over the preservation of the sensory garden and the Barbecue building had been addressed, and elements such as the covered plaza would attract artists and young people.

But boat owner Cllr Michael Williams raised concerns over the potentially ‘catastrophic’ effect of storms on the pontoon, and criticised the efficacy of the harbour’s sluicing system.

He said he was also worried about lending money for the project, as the council had ‘had its fingers burnt’ in the past.

Council finance officer Jon Haswell said the council would hold the deeds of the project until the loan was repayed.

Mr Evans added that in return for the £1.5million loan the harbour board is seeking, the county council would get an asset worth £3million, describing the investment as a ‘no-brainer’.

Mr Evans also added that the pontoons could be brought in over winter, to minimise any potential damage.