The Nelson Pit Visitor Centre Car Park serves a number of different leisure facilities, including the Middlewood Way footpath and bridlepath, canal visits, and longer walks on the public rights of way network to Lyme Park. The car park is well used, and heavily occupied at peak times which results in overspill onto local roads.
The introduction of tariffs and operating hours are designed to give customers the convenience of finding bays on the car park more quickly. At both Teggs Nose Country Park and Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve, the principle of charging for site car parking, with the revenue going towards the provision of the site facilities is already accepted. It is considered that the same principle, whereby the provision of toilets, visitor centre, an appropriate car park, and facilities are provided (as at Teggs Nose and Brereton) and that this proposal will provide a consistent approach.
Assumptions of usage and estimated income levels are based on a similar level to other countryside car parks. Any surplus earned after operating costs will be utilised for the management of countryside facilities and amenities including the adjacent Middlewood Way, Jacksons Brickworks and Poynton Coppice.
Residents of canal boats use the car park, and have hitherto enjoyed free parking, including unauthorised and limited over night parking on this site. An annual permit priced at £50 as proposed by paragraph 2.2(c) above, which is in line with other residents parking permits within the Borough and will serve to provide for continued maintenance of the car park facility.
The charges proposed are similar to those levied at similar facilities elsewhere in the Borough (for example Teggs Nose Country Park and Brereton Heath Local Nature Reserve) which also include Sundays within the charging hours. This is due to the nature of use of the facility primarily for leisure. Other off-street parking spaces within half a mile of Nelson Pit Visitor Centre (e.g. Poynton Coppice car park and Jackson’ Brickworks car park) will remain free
Decision type: Non-key
Decision status: Recommendations Approved
Wards affected: Poynton East and Pott Shrigley;