The development is the most controversial the area has seen

A judge has given the green light to the Council for National Parks (CNP) to challenge the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority's decision to grant outline planning permission.

The Pembrokeshire authority gave its consent in January for the development in the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park - against the advice of its own planning team.

The scheme's backers have claimed it will create 600 jobs and boost tourism.

The 500-acre leisure and sports village - which would be sited near Narberth - would include 340 log cabins, a snow dome and a sports club.

But the CNP, which acts as a watchdog for national parks, argued that the authority had contravened its own policies, and vowed to challenge the decision in the courts.

Legal experts are now preparing their case.

Plans include 340 log cabins, a snow dome and a sports club

Ruth Chambers, head of policy for the CNP, said : "We are delighted that the judge has granted permission on the application, which means that our legal challenge has cleared the first hurdle.

The case is likely to be heard in full in the autumn, and the hearing is likely to last at least two days.

"In giving the challenge the green light to proceed, the judge has implicitly recognised that there is enough of a case to be looked at properly in court," Ms Chambers said.

"The judge rejected attempts by Pembrokeshire National Park Authority and the developers to have the case dismissed at the outset.

He also specifically rejected the suggestion from the authority that consideration of permission to proceed should be delayed until planning permission was issued - meaning that our legal challenge can be heard sooner rather than later."