Lake District: car park in Coniston recommended for approval

Applicant Phil Johnston has submitted plans to the Lake District National Park Authority (LDNPA) to build a coach and car park, public bus stop, a building to accommodate e-bike hire, toilet and information facilities and associated infrastructure at Lands Field.

The access to the car park (Image: LDNPA)

The field is in the centre of the village between the Ruskin Museum and the bowling green on Yewdale Road. 

The proposed car park would have 74 spaces including five accessible spaces and five electric charging spaces and six coach spaces. 

An elevated view from the fells looking to where the car park would be (Image: LDNPA)

The document, which will be provided to committee members when they make a decision on September 4, said 73 letters have been received in support of the development and 59 in objection. 

The letters of objection raise issues such as the car park having an adverse impact on the character of the area, that the roads in Coniston are already crowded and more cars would exacerbate existing problems. 

How the land looks now (Image: LDNPA)

Supporting letters argue the arrival of Bluebird to the museum has increased the need for car parking and it would decrease illegal parking in the village. 

When analysing the need for a car park in the area the planners used evidence from the LDNPA's management of their existing car parks: Ruskin Avenue and Station Road. 

READ MORE: Lake District: Ruskin Museum backs plans for new Coniston car park

For the Ruskin Avenue car park, the occupancy levels range from 48 per cent in January to in excess of 240 per cent in June, July and August. Occupancy rates above 100 per cent indicate that the same space is being used more than one time per day on average. 

The site plan for the car park (Image: LDNPA)

"The Local Plan through Policy 12 recognises a specific issue in Coniston and therefore establishes in principle support and need for new car and coach parking to address this," the document adds. 

The planners also determined the proposed car park 'would result in a minor to negligible adverse landscape impact and a minor adverse visual impact.' 

They said landscaping scheme attached to the application was 'detailed and comprehensive.' 

Although the planners recommended the application for approval, they also stipulated a detailed list of conditions for the committee to consider. 

These include using local green slates for the roofs of the two buildings, installing solar panels before opening the car park, and landscaping the site within 12 months of the development being completed.