Car wars as vets practice is caught in parking row
A FURIOUS parking row has erupted between staff at a new high-tech veterinary practice and residents living nearby.
Martin Paterson, director of Donaldson’s Vets, has claimed staff have faced a “barrage of abuse” as well as being spat at in the row over parking.
But he has been accused of being ‘bloodyminded’ with residents saying staff park dangerously whilst the car park is left empty.
When plans were announced in January 2018 that a new hospital costing £1.5m was to be built on a derelict site in Somerset Road, Almondbury, it seemed an ideal solution for everyone.
Donaldson’s Vets, one of Yorkshire’s best-known and longest established practices, got the chance to create a purpose-built hospital from scratch - a longstanding dream of director Martin Paterson.
Residents looked forward to getting rid of a site known to attract flytippers and under-age drinkers.
But now tensions between some Newsome residents on Longley Road and the practice over the issue of parking have become so extreme four staff cars have been damaged and police have been called out.
Mr Paterson said: “On Tuesday evening one of our staff finished a 12-hour shift to find someone had parked so close to the front and back of their car we had no option but to call the police who were very close to arresting the male resident who was abusive.”
But he insisted that the parking problems were not of the practice’s making, saying the problems originated with Kirklees planners.
He said they had only allowed onsite parking for 2/3 members of his 45 staff for well-meaning ‘green’ reasons meaning they had no option but to look elsewhere to park.
Mr Paterson added: “A lot of our staff live in rural areas and with public transport being what it is it is impossible for them to get to and from work without using their own transport.
“A lot of the residents are very pleasant and understand the problems but there is a minority who are utterly unacceptable and indulge in uncouth behaviour.
“One member of staff has had paint thrown over their car.”
Clr Andrew Cooper, (Greens, Newsome), said: “The car park a lot of the time is empty. Officers from Highways and other Kirklees departments have been to see Mr Paterson, who is being bloodyminded about this and have tried to persuade him to do the right thing but to no avail.
“People have got really angry about it, the situation is a bone of contention. It seems to have become a battle of wills.”
Lisa Bonnell, who lives on Somerset Road, said in an email to Kirklees councillors: “The majority of the time, the car park of Donaldsons Veterinary Hospital is completely empty but spaces on Longley Road, dangerously near a junction and roundabout, are used instead.
“As we all know, the parking for the hospital was calculated as Donaldsons requiring 17 staff parking spaces. In the time the vets has been open and running, there has not been one occasion where 17 spaces have been utilised by staff.
“It has come to our attention the staff of Donaldson’s vets have appealed to directors in the hope of being able to park their cars in the car park. This request was denied.
“Unfortunately, the situation is now creating real unrest and there is a risk of this escalating further. Tonight, (May 5), the police were called following an argument between staff and residents on Longley Road. The building of the hospital and the failure of their directors to follow the calculations made in respect of staff parking has had a massive impact on the wellbeing of residents and we want some action to be taken.”
Clr Bernard McGuin, (Con, Almondbury), said: “Kirklees are always reluctant to provide such parking permits. In this case it seems that encouraging their workforce to park in residential areas has caused this problem.
“As there are no parking restrictions in place it seems residents and the police are powerless to act.
“The vets is situated near a miniroundabout that was placed there years ago because of it being a dangerous junction. Careless parking seems to have made things worse.
“I hope the vets and residents can work together for a solution that is mutually beneficial.”