New Coniston carpark approved

We are disappointed that permission has been granted by the Lake District National Park Authority today for a new permanent car park on a greenfield site in Coniston.

The proposal had been refused permission twice previously. A planning Inspector upheld the previous refusal, confirming that the construction of a car park and other facilities on the site would cause landscape harm and that the limited benefits of the proposal would not outweigh this.

Although a new bus stop is proposed within the site, a route already passes the site with a stop just yards from the planned site entrance. We agree with the Inspector that simply building a car park next to a bus stop does not result in the transfer of people to sustainable transport options, as is required by local planning policy. Disappointingly, no condition was placed on the approval to ensure the development could only go ahead if the bus route will be amended to make use of the new bus stop on the site. Therefore, it is possible that this bus stop will go unused when the car park is open.

Whilst we recognise that there are strong and mixed views on this proposal within the community of Coniston and beyond, in consulting with local Friends of the Lake District members on this matter, we could find no reason to conclude that the previous reasons for refusal, or the Inspectors clear conclusions, are somehow no longer applicable or relevant. It is also concerning that the results of local independent surveys showing there is parking capacity, even at busy times, were overlooked by the Planning Committee.

Ultimately, if the approach taken is to build more car parks to respond to, or promote, growth in numbers of visitors and cars rather than reducing demand and harm by providing alternative modes of getting to and around the National Park, then this could result in huge swathes of the Lake District being given over to parking, destroying in the process the very things people visit to enjoy – the spectacular landscape, the character of the area, and tranquillity.

We know from research, which was part-funded by the Lake District National Park Authority itself, that there is a strong appetite for change in the way that people can travel through the National Park (read the report here). More sustainable modes of travel, including buses and active travel options, would not only reduce the need for car parking, but would reduce the impact of traffic and vehicles on the landscape. It would also mean that the journey through the National Park was part of the visitors’ experience, enhancing their enjoyment and understanding of the area.