Pembrokeshire's Folly Farm has received approval from county planners to enhance its facilities, including new WCs and loading bay.

The Pembrokeshire tourist attraction, began 37 years ago as a humble diversion by a dairy farm. Alongside building up its farm experience for visitors, the park’s milestones included the establishment of its indoor vintage fairground – now the largest of its kind in Europe – in 1996, and the arrival of its first zoo animals in 2002.

Over half-a-million visitors a year from across the UK and beyond now pour through the gates of Folly Farm, which remains family-run, with the grandchildren of the founders now part of the team. Within the last two decades, Folly Farm has welcomed Wales’ only giraffes, and seen the birth of a baby black rhino.

In an application to Pembrokeshire County Council, Folly Farm’s managing director Chris Ebsworth, through agent A D Architectural Design Consultants Ltd, sought permission for an extension to an existing shed at the Begelly attraction to provide WCs, stores with delivery access and loading bay.

A supporting statement said: “At present, the shed is used as a restaurant with seating internally and provided access from the front to serve customers externally through window openings. The restaurant is currently accessed via the vintage funfair via double doors and internally is level trough out.”

It added: “The purpose of this proposal is to remove the existing front lean-to roof which is hidden behind the timber upstand and replace it with a 4.5m span portal bay that will match the existing roof pitches that currently exist on the shed.

“Internally [it] will be all open plan to the front with four sets of double doors to provide level access and original access will be retained from the vintage funfair and also double door access to the hungry farmer restaurant.

“To the rear will be male, female, a disabled WC and baby changing room accessed off the restaurant and a stores with delivery access via the proposed loading bay via the rear access. To the side of the stores will be a ramped means of escape in a 1:15 gradient to provide escape in the means of an emergency. Externally the existing tarmac will finish level with the doors to provide level thresholds.”

The application was conditionally approved by officers under delegated powers.

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