Emotions run high at public meeting to discuss Lancaster city centre parking fears
and live on Freeview channel 276
Since Lancaster City Council approved a masterplan for the Canal Quarter earlier this year, many businesses and residents have raised concerns about the apparent huge reduction in city centre car parking which will result from the plan.
No parking strategy has yet been published, though Lancaster City Council have confirmed they are working on finalising one by January 2024.
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Hide AdLancaster BID (Business Improvement District) worked with the Grand Theatre to organise the meeting for businesses to hear more details about the city council proposals, as well as allow them to put questions directly to the city councillors who make the decisions.
This event gave the opportunity for people to hear the facts about the current proposals from councillors as well as hear some of the concerns which have been raised by local businesses and residents.
It was chaired by ex-BBC reporter Dave Guest, with a panel made up of city council cabinet members Jean Parr, Gina Dowding and Nick Wilkinson, alongside Phil Simpson from Lancaster Brewery, Jo & Cass salon boss Graham Cass and Grand Theatre trustees chairman Mark Hutton.
With more than 150 in attendance, the meeting became fairly heated at times as views were expressed over the plans, which could see 126 parking spaces lost to housing in Nelson Street as well as plans for development on the upper and lower St Leonard’s Gate and Edward Street car parks.
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Hide AdGraham Cass said: "Whilst I look forward to the development of Lancaster city centre, in particular the canal corridor, this cannot be at the expense of the city centre!
“The reason city centres have vacant shops and out of town retail centres like Trafford Centre do not is free parking and ease of parking!
“To remove 700 spaces will be the death of the high street!
“Already at peak times people can’t park. We need to make shopping in Lancaster a nice experience – this means a good bus service, good cycle ways, an affordable and reliable train service and reasonable if not free parking.
"Don't kill the high street by shutting down the car parks."
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Hide AdMark Hutton added: "If they remove all parking on St Leonard's Gate, we will be left with nothing as far as parking is concerned."
Coun Parr – who said she understood the situation having worked in retail for 30 years - responded: "We will do more - we want a parking strategy to work."
Coun Wilkinson, who also has a city centre business involving student lets, said: "We're listening to you.”
After the meeting, Scale Hall city councillor Jean Parr said: “Residents feel uninformed and ignored, despite council efforts with press releases, posts on the website, info sessions in libraries, public consultations etc.
“No council or councillor can please everyone, that’s an impossibility.”
Coun Parr holds residents’ surgeries twice a month at Lancaster library on the second Saturday of the month at 11am as a county councillor and on the third Saturday of the month with ward colleagues from 11am until 1pm at Salt Ayre Leisure Centre.
In between, you can write to her at the town hall or email [email protected].
BID manager Tony Johnson said: “Lancaster BID was delighted that the meeting ended with a commitment from the councillors present to ensure higher levels of engagement and consultation with the business community moving forward and of the need to review the full range of data available and potentially review plans as the Canal Quarter development progresses.”
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Hide AdA Lancaster BID spokesman added thanks to the councillors and Dave Guest for attending the event.
“Although the audience recognised the need for housing and welcomed the prospect of development within the Canal Quarter, it was felt that the key issue of parking had so far been overlooked,” they added.