A NUMBER of Goodwick and Lower Town Fishguard residents may now have to face navigating through the difficult task of being granted planning permission for simple DIY tasks like repainting walls, doors or windows.

This is due to the conservation status of parts of Goodwick and Lower Town recently being enhanced.

The conditional addition of Article 4 (2) of the Town and Country Planning Act means that particular development rights belonging to house owners has been taken away.

Streets affected by the introduction of this act are Goodwick’s Main Street and Quay Road, and Lower Town’s Quay Street, parts of Newport Road and Bridge Street.

Householders will now have to apply for the planning permission, which will be free of charge, to construct a shed or conservatory. Any changes to doors or windows on the properties will also require planning permission, as well as building or removing fences, walls or gates.

Planning permission will also have to be applied for when installing satellite dishes, or changing the roof of the property in any way, such as changing the roof covering or installing solar panels.

However, only alterations which can be viewed from a road, waterway or open space are affected by the addition of this element of planning permission. Any changes to the rear of properties will not be affected.

Pembrokeshire County Council state that the aim of introducing this clause into the Town and Country Planning Act for these areas is to ensure that traditional details on properties are not removed or developed in a way which could greatly diminish the character of the area.

Goodwick and Lower Town’s enhanced conservation status will run provisionally for six months, at which point Pembrokeshire County Council will decide whether the changes will be implemented on a more permanent basis.

Residents of Fishguard and Goodwick are invited, within the first two months of these permissions going into place, to voice their opinions on the matter.

The council will be running dropin sessions in which officers will be able to discuss and receive comments and suggestions regarding the effects of the changes to the planning act.

These sessions will run at the Phoenix Centre, Goodwick on April 15 between 4pm and 7pm, at Fishguard Bay Yacht Club on April 18 between 4pm and 7pm and at Fishguard Town Hall on April 19 between 10am and 7pm.