PIZZA giant Domino's has won its battle to gain a slice of Pembrokeshire trade by opening up in Tenby.

The national company's controversial proposals to open a 64-seat restaurant and takeaway just yards from the resort's war memorial and the historic town walls have been allowed on appeal.

The application by Domino's UK for a change of use from retail to hot food takeaway at the newly-built units along South Parade was turned down by the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's development management committee in August.

The company then appealed to the Planning Inspectorate, and an informal hearing and site visit was held in December.

Planning inspector Nicola Gulley, in allowing the appeal, rejected concerns over traffic congestion which had been raised by local councillors, Tenby Chamber of Trade and Tourism and National Park members.

They felt that there was the potential for traffic congestion from Domino's delivery vehicles because of the business's location on the one-way South Parade, with double yellow lines on both sides of the street and a bus stop and the fire station close by.

However, delivery drivers are to be requested to park in the nearby multi-storey car park with a season ticket while collecting orders.

Closing hours laid down for the business would be 10pm from Sunday to Thursday and 11pm on a Friday and Saturday, with deliveries allowed until midnight throughout the week following phone or internet orders.

County councillor Michael Williams, who is also the deputy chairman of PCNPA's development management committee, voiced his disappointment at the appeal result and said that the inspector "appears to have totally failed the nearby residents", particularly over the opening hours of the business.

For more on this story, see next Wednesday's Western Telegraph.