Controversial plans to install a zip wire in Cardiff Bay have been withdrawn.
Council planners had recommended the Zip Now Cardiff ride – which would have stretched from the top of St David’s Hotel to a landing site near the Norwegian Church – be allowed to go ahead despite objections from local residents.
The 350m-long attraction would have seen, for £30 a ticket, riders hurtling along at a height of almost 150ft and up to speeds of 59km an hour causing many neighbours to fear both noise disturbance and an invasion to their privacy.
A total of 62 objections were lodged against the proposed development by those who live nearby, including former Doctor Who writer Russell T Davies who told the council: "My property will be facing a seven-day-a-week zip-wire with 48 people an hour whizzing past my home screaming for six months of the year.
"That equates to 64,512 people. Whizzing past my flat. Screaming."
City Zip Company Ltd, the firm behind the plans, withdrew them on Thursday despite having already begun selling tickets for the ride – the second time they'd done so despite permission never having been granted.
The business, which was looking to create 60 jobs, had originally asked for the council's blessing to set up the attraction from July this year until January 2020 but that had then been deferred until next spring.
Stephen Doughty, the Labour candidate for Cardiff South and Penarth in the upcoming election, was among those who objected to the original plans.
"I am delighted to hear that this ill-thought-out application has been withdrawn," he said.
"I had serious concerns about this scheme ever since speaking to its proponents and have been very happy to stand on the side of local residents in opposing it.
"This company have serious questions to answer about why they continued to sell tickets – for both last summer and next year – for a proposal that they did not have planning or the other relevant petitions for.
"I have no doubt they will want to be offering a full refund to all those who have purchased tickets."
Attempts to contact Barry Shaverin, chief executive of City Zip Company Ltd, were unsuccessful.
