PLANS to develop a car park in Victoria Park have been refused by councillors.
Warwick District Council’s planning committee voted against plans to turn the free to use Archery Road car park into a paid for car park.
The current car park has room for around 30 cars and is most commonly used by bowlers using the nearby club, dog walkers and park users.
And residents were ‘outraged’ after plans were submitted to make it a paying car park, more than double the number of spaces to 65, and install CCTV. The plans formed part of the council’s parking displacement strategy – to provide alternative spaces if the 468 space Covent Garden car park closes to make way for the council’s proposed new headquarters.
The move to refuse the application was welcomed by David Adams, chair of group Friends of Victoria Park.
He said: “We are pleased this damaging proposal has been sent back. We expect that another version will emerge in the new year, possibly with fewer car spaces and less tree destruction, with a different regime for parking charges and even with a proposal that cars exit into Adelaide Road.
“It will be crucial any new proposal respects the integrity of the historic Victoria Park, the interests of the many young families, dog walkers and elderly bowlers who derive pleasure and health from the park, and the amenity of the quiet residential neighbourhood that borders on the park.”
