Councillor calls for lessons to be learned following parking problems outside new apartments
A Stafford community leader has called for lessons to be learned after a development was approved along a busy road with “woefully inadequate” parking.
Stafford Borough councillors Bryan Cross and Jonathan Price raised concerns about the amount of parking space available for residents, staff and visitors when the redevelopment of the Brooklands House site was considered by planners.
Permission was granted for the former independent school site on Eccleshall Road to be used for a retirement living facility in 2015.
The apartments have since been built and are now occupied by residents. But many visitors have been parking their cars outside on Eccleshall Road – a busy gateway into Stafford town centre – leading to safety fears because of reduced visibility for motorists pulling out onto the highway from the apartments and other neighbouring houses.
Councillor Price said: “Bryan and I asked for the original planning application to be referred back because there wasn’t enough parking on the site. They increased the parking by five or six spaces.
“Eccleshall Road is a dangerous road – you can’t see to pull out. I get phone calls and emails on a regular basis – there will be a serious incident or injury outside the property at some point.”
Councillor Price added that double yellow lines had been considered to tackle the parking problem along Eccleshall Road – but residents had not wanted them.
“It would only move the problem further up the road”, he said.
“We were told by the developer they would have a vehicle on site for use by residents, but that vehicle no longer exists. They said there was adequate parking for everybody – it’s woefully inadequate.
“It went through planning on the condition there was enough parking for residents and staff. Brian and I were extremely frustrated – we knew when the planning application went in it would be a problem. Lessons have got to be learned.”
At the time of the application Staffordshire County Council’s highways department raised no objections to the development – subject to a series of conditions including revised car parking details being submitted.
A transport statement submitted on behalf of applicant Adlington stated: “It is proposed to provide a parking provision of 33 car parking spaces including three parking spaces for disabled badge holders.
“It should be noted that the proposed car parking provision has been determined on the basis of the applicant’s experience of parking requirements for this type of development and that the site is located within a highly sustainable location which provides the opportunity for residents, visitors and staff to travel to and from the site by sustainable modes of transport.
“A Parking Statement has been prepared to support the application and to specifically address concerns expressed by council members in relation to parking demand and provision.”
A spokesperson from MHA, which runs Brooklands House, said: “Parking at Brooklands House is for residents, staff and visitors, as agreed in its planning permission when granted in 2015.
“Due to the demand for places, there are occasions when staff and visitors need to park elsewhere. This includes Eccleshall Road which has unrestricted parking and therefore available for any vehicle to use at any time.
“We do remind anyone working at or visiting Brooklands House to park considerately so as not to inconvenience residents.”
