VIDEO: Closure of town centre car park 'will be detrimental'

A councillor is warning that the closure of a Littlehampton town centre car park will have a '˜detrimental' effect on the town.
Celia Thomson-Hitchcock, Councillor Ian Buckland and mother Kim Hemingway with primary school childrenCelia Thomson-Hitchcock, Councillor Ian Buckland and mother Kim Hemingway with primary school children
Celia Thomson-Hitchcock, Councillor Ian Buckland and mother Kim Hemingway with primary school children

The car park in Avon Road, opposite the old Waitrose building, will be closed to the public from Monday after a decision was made by owner Store Property.

It is used by many parents whose children attend River Beach Primary School in York Road, according to councillor Ian Buckland.

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He said: “This is going to have a detrimental effect on a lot of cars that are going to be displaced.”

Celia Thomson-Hitchcock, Councillor Ian Buckland and mother Kim Hemingway with primary school childrenCelia Thomson-Hitchcock, Councillor Ian Buckland and mother Kim Hemingway with primary school children
Celia Thomson-Hitchcock, Councillor Ian Buckland and mother Kim Hemingway with primary school children

The car park was opened just over a year ago due to Mr Buckland’s persuasion because of parking problems in roads near the school, including Queen Street, York Road and Connaught Road.

“It’s a residential area which used to get bombarded with parents dropping off and picking up,” he said.

During the time the car park was used by parents, Mr Buckland said the arrangement ‘worked fabulously’ – but he fears the closure will ‘exasperate and compound the situation’ near the school again.

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Celia Thomson-Hitchcock, a local trader and vice-chairman of the Littlehampton Traders Partnership, said: “My question is, who’s it hurting keeping this car park open?”

A spokesman from Arun District Council said the council’s offer to take over the management of the car park had been declined.

The spokesman said: “The council is keen for the company to reconsider its position, even if it’s just on a temporary basis while the long-term future of the site is resolved.”

The council also asked for the company to reconsider its decision to use large concrete blocks at the entrance and exit of the car park to prevent parking, as the spokesman said it would look ‘very unsightly’.

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“Lots of work has been done on improving the appearance of the town centre and the concrete blocks detract from that work," the spokesman said.

In an email to Mr Buckland seen by the Gazette, a Store Property employee explained that use of the car park by the public was only ever going to be a short-term arrangement.

“We have done what we can to help up to now but I’m afraid we can no longer continue with this arrangement,” the employee wrote.

Store Property has not responded to a request for a comment.

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