Contentious parking site set for approval

A CONTROVERSIAL pay and display car park in Saltaire will once again be discussed by Bradford councillors as the site owners make a fresh bid for planning permission.

Councillors will decide next week whether to allow the owners of the Oastler Road car park to legally use the site in that way.

It hit the headlines numerous times last year after scores of people complained over what they called unfair parking fines.

The land off Bingley Road and behind the Co-Op had been run by Bradford Council since 2004, and motorists were given 20 minutes of free parking.

But last year the lease was taken over by Birmingham-based Smart Parking on behalf of Saltaire Investments. The company kept the free 20 minutes but required motorists to log their car’s registration for the free period or face fines of £100.

Following council investigations it emerged that the land was never approved for use as a car park and was actually classed as a public highway.

The car park use was declared unlawful and people have been able to park for free ever since.

An application to change the use of the entire area from public highway to car park was refused earlier this year, with planning officers saying a public highway was needed to allow deliveries.

However, a new application was put forward earlier this summer for a car park with a section of public highway.

Planning officers have recommended that Keighley and Shipley Area Committee approves the plans when it meets next Wednesday, despite almost 90 objections being received.

A report notes most objections were not about the parking use itself, but how it will be managed.