Parking site approved

The former playground at the Mount Primary School, Newark, can be used as a temporary carpark, district councillors decided on Tuesday.

Newark and Sherwood District Council planning committee agreed the site could be used for a 63-space pay-and-display carpark.

It will be operated by the district council for a year until it is needed for redevelopment.

The site is owned by St Leonard’s Trust, which wants to use it for sheltered housing.

Newark Civic Trust objected to the carpark because of concerns over increased public access to the site which they felt could lead to vandalism and theft from the former school buildings.

The head of planning, Mr Mike Evans, said the site was well placed to serve shoppers and visitors and would be of particular benefit to those who could not walk far.

“I consider that the proposals to temporarily bring the site back into use would improve its currently neglected appearance,” he said.

Mr Stuart Wallace agreed. He said the area was in a poor state and that a carpark would be a good use of the site until it was ready for development.

Mrs Marika Tribe said that extra parking was badly needed.

“Trying to park in Newark on a Friday is like trying to find a sun lounger in a Spanish hotel,” she said.

Mr Tom Bickley was concerned there was already a lot of traffic in the area and having a carpark could add to those problems, but still voted in support of the application.