Your article on the proposed Sainsbury convenience store invites local comments.

Since we own the property opposite, Hill House we are truly interested parties.

There are certainly credits and debits to the proposal, and the comment of the Chamber of Trade Secretary, Gordon Barry, is both appropriate and poignant, since it displays an attitude of the developers which is regrettable – to say the least. They appear to pay lip service to the local people only, and care less of local interests.

In support of the attractive facade of the published architects drawing, it appears very suitable and in keeping with the town character. On the other hand, the increase of the site to 2.02 acres is alarming. This seems to indicate that a chunk of the Town Moor has been included in the sale by Pembrokeshire County Council.

Is it within the gift of the Council to sell off parts of the Town Moor? Or are the Council, in the interest of commercial gain, selling off more of our vital car parking spaces?

Over the years, our planning authority has persistently permitted commercial and residential development on sites where car parking space would have been ideally suited.

Now we have a crisis on parking, which must eventually impact upon the town’s traditional pastimes, such as football, rugby and sports.

In the mean time, Sainsbury puts forward the eternal chesnut claiming 40-50 jobs.

These jobs could well be at the cost of at least the same number of jobs as the High Street contracts in the same way we have seen in Haverfordwest and Pembroke Dock contract.

Is the celebrated Narberth Jewel in the Crown of Pembrokeshire to go the same way as the main shopping streets of two of our major towns?It seems to be time for a very serious review of our planning policies around Narberth, whilst local people feel that there is little we can do about it, against powerful commercial interests.

Richard and Ann Sykes

Narberth