The long search for a permanent home for the collection of works by artist Graham Sutherland is finally over after a seven year wait.

An offer of land to build a new �37,000 gallery in the tiny Pembrokeshire city of St David's has been accepted by the Welsh Assembly.

It is a wonderful opportunity to combine the art world and the environment

Phil Roach, Pembrokeshire Coast national park

In conjunction with other partners the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park has identified a plot next to the Tourist Information Centre for the scheme.

The building could be open within two years.

It is hoped that the location of the new gallery will be ideally suited to take advantage of the hundreds of thousands of people who visit St David's each year.

The collection of more than 800 works of mixed media art includes oil paintings, drawings and watercolour, print textiles, designed furniture and ceramics.

Pembrokeshire Coast National Park project officer Phil Roach said the new gallery will be of great benefit to tourism in the area.

"It is tremendous news not just for the city of St David's but for the county as a whole. It is a wonderful opportunity to combine the art world and the environment.

"The display will form one part of a wider themed display."

Sutherland developed a 40 year love affair with Pembrokeshire

National Museum spokesman

Graham Sutherland was born in London in 1903 and died in 1980.

He first visited Pembrokeshire in 1935 on the advice of a London gallery owner.

He was captivated by the landscape and light he found there.

A National Museum spokesman said: "Sutherland developed a 40-year love affair with Pembrokeshire and the unique combination of light reflected from the sea, the green countryside and rainfall first taught him how to use colour."

The artist insisted his work should be on permanent display in Pembrokeshire.

But his paintings have been in storage at the National Museum in Cardiff since 1995 after Picton Castle Gallery near Haverfordwest closed due to falling visitor numbers.

Costs

Thirty thousand pounds has been earmarked for the scheme from various sources including the Welsh Development Agency, Wales Tourist Board, Pembrokeshire County Council, the National Museum and the Friends of the Sutherland Collection.

An application for a grant for the remaining �7,000 has been made to the Arts Council for Wales.

Works from the Sutherland collection will be on display at a special exhibition at this summer's National Eisteddfod which is being held in St David's.