• In the summer of 2020 we had temporary camping on our field behind the Ruskin Museum in Coniston village centre, which was welcomed and continued for about 70 days.
•  The field became very wet and muddy, so last winter, we then installed a deep gravel sustainable drainage system, reseeded the grass areas, and made all-weather car parking possible, encouraged by Cumbria Police, the Local Authorities and Cumbria Tourism who reached out to landowners, asking them to make more land available for temporary car parking, since existing car parks are full and can’t cope with the huge new demand!
• In 2021 we opened the field for all weather car parking, with a pop up shop trailer giving free information maps on local walks, cycle routes, public transport and selling items from our other shop, to help pay our staff. The car park is conveniently located for the village centre yet is well screened by mature trees, shrubs and has very rural grass and gravel.
• The Safer Lakes car park website, run by the Lake District National Park, lists and publicises the car park.
• The car park has been very well used from July 2021, on a temporary, permitted development planning basis for the allowed 56 days.
• We have promoted longer, stress free stays by charging “£6 all day long”!
• Up to 200 cars have parked daily, people going for walks have also visited village businesses increasing local revenue dramatically. There is also future provision for coach parking, with the potential to increase footfall for local businesses even further.
• Our car park has eased parking in village residential areas. Creating safe parking for hundreds of cars which would have been forced to find alternative parking on local public roads, streets, and lanes.
• The car park also provides free staff parking to local businesses, at a time when businesses such as those operating in hospitality, are facing a staffing crisis and require support to attract employees to work within the local area.
• Parking demand continues so we have applied for a planning time extension for this year till November and next year March till November.
• The Lake District National Park will hear this application in October, but have said in three notices that they don’t want any more car parking in our field ever even though:
  • It is the only extra car park available on any day, in central Coniston (extra parking at the School and social club is restricted by their own activities).

It fulfils National Park Planning Policy by:

• • Encouraging sustainable onward transport, of walking, cycling, or the use of public transport from it.
  • Giving a World Class Visitor Experience, not a boggy, muddy field, where cars get stuck !
  • Contributing towards a vibrant local economy

Please help us by signing the petition or writing to planning@lakedistrict.gov.uk 

(stating the reasons you want the car park to continue)