Car park management plans spark objection

For the last two years the Lamb Inn in Stone has been employing ParkingEye Ltd to manage its car park, and using automatic number plate recognition to issue fines.  Things came to a head in 2020 when people who were attending a funeral function at the pub couldn’t park there because of people “dumping their cars and going to the chippy or the shops”.

Two retrospective planning applications, seeking consent for the car park management system and nine signs, have been submitted to Stafford Borough Council by ParkingEye. An application form stated that the installation took place in July 2020.

Ian Felgate, a former worker at The Lamb Inn, said a parking control system was originally put in place more than a decade ago by a previous pub manager, but later removed. “It is private land and the system is needed to benefit pub customers “, he added

“Some were paying respects to a relative and they couldn’t park on there to come to the wake because people were dumping their cars and going to the chippy and the shops. Customers couldn’t park because there were no spaces for them and it stopped them from coming into the pub, so it has been reinstated again.”

But Stone Town Council members objected to both applications at their latest planning consultative committee meeting. And they have called for Stafford Borough Council “to carry out an investigation into the legalities of what has been going on, which includes parking charges imposed on members of the public and resulting harm to neighbouring businesses, followed up with appropriate actions”.

Town councillors are concerned about the behaviour of the car parking scheme operators and the retrospective nature of the application.

Councillor Jim Davies said: “It’s reprehensible that we should have to deal with retrospective applications.”

Councillor Jill Hood said: “I have been chasing enforcement for a couple of years with no luck. We know the cameras were erected without permission, we knew the nine signs had been put there without permission.

“We can’t prove how much business Londis and the butchers and chip shop have lost because there aren’t enough spaces for parking, people see it’s packed and turn around and drive off. I know of a number of people who have had these parking charges.

“I think it absolutely stinks they have taken so long to come forward and it’s outrageous they have got away with it for two years. The only reason these planning applications are here is because enforcement told them they had to put in for retrospective.”

Councillor Rob Kenney said: “Perhaps they should retrospectively refund all the parking charges they have given to members of the public. I understand the owners of the inn have a right to control parking on their land – it is a pity if it harms businesses alongside it.”

A design and access statement submitted with the plans said: “The site is currently used as a car park with 50 parking bays including disabled bays. The proposal seeks to provide management of the existing car park to reduce car park abuse and ensure that spaces are available for geniune site users.”