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KEEP IT CONCRETE: Campaigners in Blackwater fight to keep their car park. Sarah Coulton, owner of Total Tranquility, holds the placard in front
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Row over car park ignites
By Emma Owen24/ 7/2008
Angry Blackwater residents have launched a campaign to fight plans to turn a disused car park into a car wash.
The site behind Green Lane has not been used as a car park since 2005 and has been left empty.
Hart District Council, which owns the site, wants to bring in a private contractor to operate a car valeting service from 8am to 7pm six days a week and from 9am to 6pm on Sundays.
Residents complain that there are already five car wash facilities within half a mile radius and that more parking spaces are desperately needed in the area.
Some 62 objections have already been received to the plans on Hart District Council’s online planning website.
Two gym clubs which back onto the site are leading the fight against the scheme.
Cheralyn Hill, owner of Bespoke Pilates Studio, said: “All of the businesses in this building need peace and quiet to operate.
“We have yoga, pilates, Curves gym and Total Tranquillity beauty therapy.
“People aren’t going to come here to de-stress if all they are going to hear is cars bibbing, people shouting and water spraying.
“Anyone who just wants to come into Blackwater to use the shops and businesses has nowhere to park. We really need a proper car park.”
Online objections to the scheme include a Green Lane resident who said: “We do not need yet another car wash in the area wasting thousands of gallons of water.
“What we do need is a car park to aid the survival of local businesses and to stop Green Lane being choked with parked cars, making it difficult for residents to access their own driveways.
“I object to the proposed opening hours as the car park is surrounded on three sides by residential properties and the last thing that I want after a hard week’s work is to sit in my garden listening to the constant drone of washers and Hoovers.
“This site should be used for what it already is, a car park. Just re-open it.”
Blackwater and Hawley Town Council chairman, Coun Adrian Collett said: “There do seem to be plenty of car washes in the area and I can’t understand why anyone would think there was a need for another one.
“I am also worried about the traffic going through the lights on the A30. There has been an increase in traffic since Lidl opened and it an be quite dangerous.
“Blackwater is a much busier place than it was a few years ago.
“It is thriving and extra car parking seems to be just what is needed.”
Geoff Hislop, Hart’s parking manager said: “We are doing this on a short term basis to generate income from the council’s assets. The land had previous planning applications for housing refused and this is a temporary solution to bring the land back into use.”
A spokesman for Hart District Council said: “There has been a lot of opposition received but it is too early to say what the recommendation will be.”
Planners will look at the scheme at their committee meeting on August 13.
The site behind Green Lane has not been used as a car park since 2005 and has been left empty.
Hart District Council, which owns the site, wants to bring in a private contractor to operate a car valeting service from 8am to 7pm six days a week and from 9am to 6pm on Sundays.
Residents complain that there are already five car wash facilities within half a mile radius and that more parking spaces are desperately needed in the area.
Some 62 objections have already been received to the plans on Hart District Council’s online planning website.
Two gym clubs which back onto the site are leading the fight against the scheme.
Cheralyn Hill, owner of Bespoke Pilates Studio, said: “All of the businesses in this building need peace and quiet to operate.
“We have yoga, pilates, Curves gym and Total Tranquillity beauty therapy.
“People aren’t going to come here to de-stress if all they are going to hear is cars bibbing, people shouting and water spraying.
“Anyone who just wants to come into Blackwater to use the shops and businesses has nowhere to park. We really need a proper car park.”
Online objections to the scheme include a Green Lane resident who said: “We do not need yet another car wash in the area wasting thousands of gallons of water.
“What we do need is a car park to aid the survival of local businesses and to stop Green Lane being choked with parked cars, making it difficult for residents to access their own driveways.
“I object to the proposed opening hours as the car park is surrounded on three sides by residential properties and the last thing that I want after a hard week’s work is to sit in my garden listening to the constant drone of washers and Hoovers.
“This site should be used for what it already is, a car park. Just re-open it.”
Blackwater and Hawley Town Council chairman, Coun Adrian Collett said: “There do seem to be plenty of car washes in the area and I can’t understand why anyone would think there was a need for another one.
“I am also worried about the traffic going through the lights on the A30. There has been an increase in traffic since Lidl opened and it an be quite dangerous.
“Blackwater is a much busier place than it was a few years ago.
“It is thriving and extra car parking seems to be just what is needed.”
Geoff Hislop, Hart’s parking manager said: “We are doing this on a short term basis to generate income from the council’s assets. The land had previous planning applications for housing refused and this is a temporary solution to bring the land back into use.”
A spokesman for Hart District Council said: “There has been a lot of opposition received but it is too early to say what the recommendation will be.”
Planners will look at the scheme at their committee meeting on August 13.