Walna Scar Road parking.


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By CarlandHay on 22/02/18 at 7:31am

Hi, I'm coming to the Lakes on Friday and Saturday and was wondering if anyone could advise if it is still free to park at the top of Walna Scar Road? think i read last year there were proposals to change the parking and to introduce charges. thanks for any help, Carl.


By Lancashire Lad on 22/02/18 at 12:12pm

Hi,

Planning consent (with conditions) was granted on 8th June 2017, as may be seen by viewing the "Decision Notice" which is available to be viewed amongst planning application documentation - here: - http://www.lakedistrict.gov.uk/swiftlg/ ... 7&backURL=<a href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=709192>Search Criteria</a> > <a href='wphappsearchres.displayResultsURL?ResultID=1529749%26StartIndex=1%26SortOrder=rgndat:desc%26DispResultsAs=WPHAPPSEARCHRES%26BackURL=<a href=wphappcriteria.display?paSearchKey=709192>Search Criteria</a>'>Search Results</a>

However, one of the conditions precedent in giving that approval was this: - CONDITION PRECEDENT ADVANCE SIGNAGE 3 The development hereby permitted shall not be commenced until advance highway signage has been installed in Coniston village to warn motorists of the limited car parking spaces. Deails of the size, location and wording of the signage shall be submitted to and approved in writing by the Local Planning Authority prior to installation and shall thereafter be retained unless otherwise agreed by the Local Planning Authority.

A search for "road signage Coniston Village" via the LDNPA planning applications search tool brings up nothing more recent than 2014. So, it looks like the applicant hasn't yet got around to seeking the required planning permission for these road signs. On that basis, (if indeed the advanced road signage has not yet been approved and isn't showing amongst submitted planning applications), the works cannot have started and parking should still be free.

I regularly look in on websites such as Grough, and indeed here on WalkLakes - I've seen nothing yet posted suggesting that pay and display parking has commenced.

I do use that site occasionally, and my concerns were/are, that this scheme, once complete, will create more problems than it actually solves. I'm sure that quite a few people will decide not to pay the parking fees, and will park wherever they can squeeze a car in on the single track road, - potentially blocking the few passing places that exist or damaging the roadside verge. Plus, when the site is openly signed in Coniston Village as a public car park, it will attract more "non-walkers/non-climbers" - and will thus create more congestion than ever when considered with the reduction to 58 parking places that this scheme will bring. (Don't get me wrong, non-walkers and non-climbers have just as much right to use that site as anybody else, but signage "advertising the car park" (given where it is located) will just add more of a congestion problem along the access road than currently exists).

Like I say, I occasionally park there too, so am also interested to see what does happen once P&D is up and running.

Regards, Mike.



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