PLANS to charge for car
parking in Knowle have been approved despite a raft of objections from
businesses, residents and the developer of a planned Waitrose store.
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Solihull Metropolitan Borough
Council approved the plan for charges for three hours and more in a bid to free
up spaces in its six car parks.
Charges would be: 50p for
three to four hours; £1 for four to five hours; £1.50 for five to six hours and
£2 for more than six hours. Parking is currently limited from to two to four hours.
Some 46 people gave theirviews and concerns centred on the impact on workers and residents who do not
have their own parking and on a forthcoming Waitrose store plan.
But a council officers’ report said: “Employee parking should not be at the detriment of the vitality
and viability of Knowle Village Centre through restricting the use of spaces by
those who wish to shop in or visit the local centre.”
It said workers could use
public transport, taxis, car sharing, walking and cycling though this “may not be possible for all”
and it would consider suggestions.
The charge will be brought in
by the end of September “subject to further consideration of the issues raised
through the consultation” the council agreed this week.
A Waitrose store has been
approved for a former bowling
green
Kimberley Developments, which
is behind the scheme, said it has “serious misgivings” the plan would see too
many park all day, reducing shoppers’ spaces.
It said: “If our new
development is to proceed we would have to have confidence that at least the
majority of the new enlarged and refurbished car park, that we would construct
at our cost, would be operated as a shoppers car park.”
The council said it will “monitor
the situation and work with them to consider if any changes are necessary to
support the development”.
Hunters estate agents said: “The
current arrangement works well and if you make all car parking payable this
will cause conflict and immense problems for those who work all day in the
village and have no way of getting here other than by car.
“Thriving towns and village
centres need to accommodate the car and not fight against the car.”
“There is no public transport
from where I live to Knowle nor there is a footpath should I decide to add on
extra two plus hours to my day by walking to and from work.
“The parking restrictions are
likely to cost me an additional £500.00 per year…when I am already struggling
to meet my everyday living expenses.”
An associate of property firm
Citrus said of workers: “If charging is brought in one of their options will
then be to park in residential roads on the periphery of the village.”
They said: “I believe that
introducing an additional financial burden on what politicians like to refer to
as 'hard working ordinary people' is very insensitive in these times and will
not reflect well on the way that Solihull Council supports the people who live
and work in the borough.”
Shipways estate agent said: “I
would ask that some free all day parking is designated for local
workers / employees.
“If your plans go ahead, they
will impact negatively on local businesses who will have to refund their
employees parking costs.”
Ripples bathrooms suggested
free or discounted permits, saying: “We are happy that the parking is being
reviewed as we have all heard stories of people parking for free in Knowle and
then going to work in Solihull , or even to the airport for holiday, which takes
spaces away from shoppers.”
A “local doctor” wrote: “All-day
parking in Knowle should be either made not possible or discouraged in the
strongest terms.”
And a Longdon Road
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