The Bluestone project is expected to create 600 jobs

Members of the Pembrokeshire National Park Authority originally granted planning permission for the �45m Bluestone Project in December.

But because of concerns over the park authority's own planning policy, the scheme was reconsidered at a meeting on Wednesday.

The authority's development control committee again voted in favour of the development, planned for land near Narbeth, against its own officers' recommendation.

Part of the Bluestone development falls within the park authority's land.

Supporters have demonstrated in favour of the scheme

Although the project has been cleared to proceed, there is still the possibility of legal action by opponents, who have warned of Bluestone's environmental impact.

Businessman William McNamara first unveiled his concept of the 500-acre leisure and sports village, complete with 340 log cabins, in June 2002.

Mr McNamara, one of the people who helped build the Oakwood theme park nearby, said 600 full-time jobs would be created in a county which had been hit hard by the loss of more than 1,000 call centre jobs.

But the project's passage through the planning stages suffered delays and protests.

Vote in favour

Although Pembrokeshire council granted outline planning permission, the national park, on whose land part of the development lies, at first deferred its decision.

Lawyers for the authority said its members did not have all the information they needed to make an environmental impact assessment of the proposed scheme.

Then, last month, members ignored the advice of their planning officers to vote in favour of the Bluestone project, before repeating their decision in a second vote on Wednesday.

Campaigners have already urged the Welsh Assembly Government to intervene, saying the Bluestone scheme has set a dangerous precedent.

However, the assembly government said the application did not involve any issues which warranted taking the decision away from the park authority.

Bluestone chief executive William McNamara has said he hoped work would start on site this year, paving the way for an opening late in 2005.

Local Assembly Member Christine Gwyther has given her support to the project, and has called for its opponents to work with developers to make sure the local environment does not suffer as a result of the scheme.