Plans for freshwater shower facility approved by Welsh Coastal National Park

Bruce Sinclair, Local democracy reporter

Plans for a freshwater shower facility at a Pembrokeshire seaside harbour for cold water swimmers and other beach users have been given the go-ahead by the national park.

In an application to Pembrokeshire Coast National Park, Kerry Evans sought permission for a cold freshwater shower set in a coastal garden rockery at an area of raised plant bed between the slipway and car park at Saundersfoot Harbour.

Local community council Saundersfoot raised no objections to the proposal.

A supporting statement accompanying the application said: “This facility would be open to everyone – Saundersfoot residents and visitors year-round. A multi-headed cold shower would be located within a newly landscaped area, with an accessible path leading through a rockery style coastal garden.

“The wastewater from the shower will drain through a proprietary trap, then to a reservoir/sand trap and then into an appropriately sized soak away. The reservoir and soak away will enable water to be reused to keep the planting watered during the warmer months when the shower will be in more use.

“Signage will be provided to explain to users that soap and shampoo should not be used due to the wastewater being recycled and used for plant maintenance and the impact on the marine environment.

“The cold-water nature of the shower will also act as a deterrent to people doing this. The shower will be fitted with a flow cap and turn off automatically after a short time, to ensure that proper water management is built into the shower design.”

The application to the park is alongside a funding application to Visit Wales, the documents say.

“The addition of a freshwater shower in the village will provide a faculty for beach users, cold water swimmers and will encourage people to visit the beach and stay in the village longer as they will be able to remove excess salt and sand.

“Working with Saundersfoot Harbour (landowner) an existing raised flower bed has been identified as an ideal location for the shower at the top of the slipway between the pathway and the car park. The renewed planting design will be seen as an enhancement to the area and the proximity to a mains water supply within the nearby footway.

“The engineering work to connect to the main supply is much simplified avoiding the need for work within the highway and any potential road closures or traffic management.”

The application was conditionally approved by park planners.