A charity set up to protect national parks, the Council for National Parks (CNP), has taken a local park authority to court in order to preserve part of a national park in south west Wales.

On 23-25 November at Swansea High Court, the CNP challenged the decision of the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority to allow a £60m tourist village – called Project Bluestone – to be built within the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, claiming it threatened the integrity of the park.

The village covers 500 acres and includes 335 timber lodges and a spa.

Although the development has been granted outline planning permission, the CNP believes it is ‘completely inappropriate’ to the surrounding countryside.

The judge’s decision on the case is due to be issued in three weeks time.

The CNP’s head of policy, Ruth Chambers said: “The Bluestone court case is seen as a key test for the future of all national parks in the UK. This is a fight which the CNP is undertaking because of our belief that national parks ought to be protected for future generations from developments like Bluestone.” Details: www.cnp.org.uk