LAWLEY COMMUNITY CAR PARK – PARISH COUNCIL STATEMENT

Residents will recall that in November 2018 Telford & Wrekin Council refused Morrison’s application to limit the parking on the community car park

Their decision was due to the impact that the proposals would have on the retailers in Lawley Square and specifically:

• the consideration that Lawley as Sustainable Urban Extension was granted on the provision that this was a community car park for the area, without restriction
• the change of restriction from an unrestricted car park would therefore have a detrimental impact on local residents and businesses
• its potential harm to highway safety and the economic viability of existing shops
• and that, because of the lack of alternative available parking within Lawley, losing the unrestricted car park would worsen the current situation.

We have now been informed that Morrisons have lodged an appeal with the National Planning Inspectorate to overturn this decision, and at the same time have submitted an application to Telford & Wrekin Council to put up signage referring to the ANPR cameras that have previously been refused

Since the development was first planned and given planning permission in 2004 the car park has been designated as the car park for the use of the wider community

The Design and Access statement for the whole Lawley development refers to this as the designated car park for all of the retail units in the Square aswell as the residents who live in Parkes Court

Retail units in the Square and Parkes Court residents have parking facilities on this car park written into their leases.

Every subsequent planning application in the Lawley Square area approved by Telford & Wrekin Council has referred to the “unrestricted parking on the adjacent community car park” as a justification for not having to provide further parking in the area.

Telford & Wrekin Highways signs are prominently displayed on local roads directing visitors to Lawley Square to park on the community car park.

Until Morrisons planning application last year there has never been any issue with the car parking arrangements set out in the original Lawley plans.

Morrisons propose to limit parking to 2 or 3 hours and enforce this via ANPR cameras.

This would prevent Parkes’ Court residents, volunteers in the Charity Shops, and staff from the retail units, the Medical Centre, Lawley Dentist and the Extra Care Centre from parking on the car park, as they have done since the Square and Morrisons was built

They will inevitably have to park on local residential roads, causing issues for local residents and making it even more difficult for vehicles, including the local bus service, to travel around the area.

The Parish Council have tried to engage with Morrisons both locally and nationally since the first application was submitted last Summer. Unfortunately, they have refused to meet us to discuss local concerns.

The last application was refused by Telford & Wrekin Planning Committee following a strong campaign by the Parish Council, local residents, local retailers and Lawley Running Club – who will all be directly affected by Morrisons attempt to limit use of the community car park.

In the coming weeks we would ask the local community to once again show their opposition to Morrisons proposals by:

• objecting to the application for signage

Details can be found at https://secure.telford.gov.uk/planning/pa-applicationresponses-public.aspx?Applicationnumber=TWC/2019/0235

• submitting objections to the National Planning Inspector

Further information on the timescale for the National Planning Enquiry will be provided as soon as we have them.