A PARISH council have adopted a 'neutral' stance on controversial plans for a 150-space car park near Cat Bells. 

A meeting between members of the Above Derwent Parish Council met on January 18 to put the controversial proposal for the car park back on the discussion table. 

The previous proposal for a 150 space car park at Ullock Moss, complete with toilet block and a shuttle bus turning facility at Cupboard Field, was rejected by the Lake District National Park Authority on December 1, 2021. 

A new planning application has since been put forward by the Lingholm Private Trust, Portinscale, with planners at the Lake District National Park Authority. 

Following the meeting, the parish council have adopted a 'neutral' stance after previously backing the proposal. 

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In February 2021, the parish council voted to support the Ullock Moss car park application, without a bike hire attraction and shuttle bus, under the grounds that there was an 'urgent' need to address traffic congestion in the village - particularly as there were incidents in which emergency service vehicles and buses could not get through. 

Over the last 12 months, the parish council have said there seems to be much less congestion, with no reports of vehicles, or emergency service vehicles for that matter, being unable to travel through the village. 

They cite that the decrease in congestion could be for several reasons such as a decrease in visitors, traffic prevention orders, new transport links, improved parking at Nichol End and available daytime parking at the Derwentwater Hotel. 

"We still do not support these additional amenities. We realise that it is the LDNPA Local Plan and the aim for car parks to be sustainable that explains why the application is for a large car park that will be commercially viable and so support the ‘sustainable’ elements," the council said. 

"Given the decrease in congestion in recent months, now does not seem the right time to make a decision on carpark provision. Most significantly, we have not had time to assess the impact of the eTROs.

"It would be useful to have information from Cumbria County Council Highways about this or from the applicant in the form of an independent and systematic survey," they said. 

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