Councillors in Tenby have given the thumbs up for an application for a change of use of land along the South Parade to facilitate a permanent car park on the site.

Members of Tenby town council approved an application from Mr. Giles Birt, of Lock House, St Julian Street, for a change of use of land fronting South Parade, which was the former Tenby Ford commercial garage, with workshops to enable use of the entire site (including 7 Picton Road) as a permanent car park, at their meeting on Tuesday night

Works to the entire site comprising - associated pay machines, electric charging points, lighting, signage and planters, have also been included in the plans.

Known as the Five Arches Car Park, councillors had previously described the facility as an ‘asset’ to the town when granting renewal of the temporary permission for the use of the land.

Councillors’ recommendations will now be passed onto the Pembrokeshire Coast National Park Authority.

Members of Tenby Civic Society’s planning sub-committee also noted that the temporary use as a car park had ‘proved it’s worth’ for the town, having been an ‘effective and well used’ investment, stating that the facility should be given a ‘permanent permission’, subject to better landscaping.

“Existing landscaping is minimal and does little to break up the hard, open, bleak nature of the site; sadly a customary feature of all Tenby’s car parks, except part of the Green site,” said a spokesperson for the Civic Society.

“We feel some tree planting of medium height species to allow good sight underneath, along some of the the Parade and Picton Road frontages, at the end of the middle parking row, and the side boundary to the rears of properties would improve the town scape by reducing the bleakness of this large open site opposite the town walls, at a minimal cost, though a few vehicle spaces might be lost,” they added.