Polarising plans for a new 150-space car park in the Lake District have failed to win unequivocal support from a key parish council.
Above Derwent Parish Council, which covers Braithwaite, Portinscale and Newlands, met to consider newly dusted off plans for Ullock Moss and Cupboard Field.
But after a full discussion, the parish council decided to opt for a “neutral view” at this stage until it has more evidence.
It backed the original plan but at a meeting in Braithwaite Church Hall, councillors decided to proceed with caution before nailing its colours to the mast.
The Lingholm Private Trust, based at Water End House, Portinscale, has submitted the application to the Lake District National Park Authority.
It has generated more than 110 comments so far. The council believes the parking and traffic problems have not been as bad in the past 12 months with “much less congestion”.
“We have not had any reports of vehicles, particularly emergency vehicles, being unable to travel through the village, the council said in a statement.”
It said the decrease could be linked to new measures put in place. These include emergency traffic regulation orders, the possibility of decreased visitor numbers, improved parking schemes nearby, and new transport initiatives such as Park and Sail, and the shuttle bus from Keswick
The council said: “It is all the more important to ensure that the proposed car park is not over-capacity – that is bigger than the current need. In 2021 we stated we would support a car park without the attractions of bike hire and a shuttle bus to Catbells. We still do not support these additional amenities.
“Given the decrease in congestion in recent months, now does not seem the right time to make a decision on car park provision.”
The council wants more information to assess the impact of the emergency traffic regulation orders and hopes for information from either Cumbria County Council Highways in the form of an “independent” survey.
“We remain supportive of a small temporary car park, or even a number of small temporary car parks between Portinscale and Catbells, and we remain unconvinced that we need bike hire or a shuttle bus as these are best placed in Keswick.
“However, at this point in time, without time to assess the impact of the eTROs and without sufficient evidence of the need for 150 car spaces we cannot properly assess the need for car parking in Portinscale.”
