Fishguard Town Council has given its approval to plans to repurpose Goodwick Parrog’s iconic helter skelter as a roadside flower display, despite initially raising concerns over its safety.

A retrospective planning application has been issued for the iconic slide which served generations of children at Goodwick Parrog.

The slide was out of action late last year after a reported price of £10,000 was quoted to repair it.

It was saved from oblivion at the eleventh hour by the owner of the Ivybridge Guest House, Mark Rummery who approached Pembrokeshire County Council with a last-minute proposal to take the structure and display it on the A487 Goodwick to St David's road as a decorative flower stand, in place of the guest house’s original sign.

Although some locals welcomed the relocation and resurrection of the popular piece of play equipment, questions were raised over its safety.

Earlier this year Fishguard Town Council’s planning committee contacted Pembrokeshire County Council’s planning department to ask if the structure was sited on a suitable base that would support the weight and to ask for reassurance that the structure was safe and not in danger of falling over.

Town councillors also asked if the structure required planning permission.

Since then a retrospective application has been submitted to the council for landscaping and use of repurposed 5.4m tall helter skelter into decorative flower display. including three led spotlights.

The proposal in front of planners includes repurposing the slide into a decorative welcoming flower display on a patch of grassland next to the main road, owned by the lvybridge Guesthouse.

The helter skelter has replaced a large sign for the guest house, three small lights on daylight timers will illuminate the flower display in same way the old sign was illuminated.

Fishguard town councillors discussed the retrospective application at their September meeting. The general feeling was that the slide was a welcome addition to the local environment although concerns were voiced about the hybrid English and Welsh greeting painted on it and about the blue light on the top which some residents had complained about.

Owner of the Ivybridge Guest House, Mark Rummery said he would address the concerns about the signage.

“I am happy to work with the community to get the right balance,” he said.

The application states that ‘the applicant will be responsible for the maintenance and upkeep of the display and ensure it remains decorative at all times’.

The site notice on the planning application initially ended on September 6. However, the 21 day response period had been extended until September 9, allowing an opportunity for the town council to discuss it at its meeting.

For more information on the application, visit planning.pembrokeshire.gov.uk/ and search for application 21/0289/PA.