Council agrees sale of Stafford land for private car park
A free car park in Stafford is being sold by the borough council to provide car parking for a new residential development.
Planning permission to convert Stanley House, a former mill building, into apartments was granted by the borough council in 2016.
But concerns were raised at the time that the development could lead to the loss of a public car park at Fancy Walk.
The council has now received a request from the current owners of Stanley House to buy the land to provide dedicated parking as part of the redevelopment.
A report to Thursday’s cabinet meeting said the land had been valued at £75,000.
It added: “The land is currently laid out as a free public car park but was originally a children’s play area that was closed due to vandalism. The council does not receive any income from the car park.
“The redevelopment of Stanley House is not viable without the use of the council’s land for car parking.”
Cabinet members agreed to the sale of the land for private car parking spaces.
Councillor Carolyn Trowbridge, cabinet member for leisure, said: “I think this is an excellent opportunity for the council. It is a relatively decent sum for a plot and we need more parking.
“I think it is a very good deal being set out here and I’m very much in approval.”
