Westmorland and Furness Council has launched a consultation on plans to close the front and back car parks at Mansion House in Penrith, as part of changes to local parking orders in Eden and preparations to put Mansion House up for sale.
The council is proposing a new off-street parking order, formally titled the Westmorland and Furness Council (Off Street Parking Places) (Eden Locality) (Consolidation) Order. If introduced, it would revoke and re-enact the parking restrictions and provisions currently set out in the Eden District Council (Off-Street Parking Places) Order 2016 covering Penrith and Appleby council operated pay and display carparks.
The new order would remove all entries relating to Mansion House (front) and Mansion House (rear) car parks. At present, these car parks are available to council staff and permit holders during the week, with temporary public parking permitted between 7am and 7pm. Outside of these times, along with weekends and bank holidays, they operate as public pay-and-display car parks.
The draft order now open for consultation has already raised questions. In the section covering payment, it states:
“Where a charge is payable in relation to the parking of a vehicle it shall be paid by obtaining of a pre-paid ticket by the insertion of an appropriate coin or coins into the apparatus or device provided in the parking place.”
However, council parking machines have since been upgraded to allow payment by card and by phone, meaning these options are not reflected in the new order.
The proposed order also lists charges that mirror 2016 rates, including £1 for one hour, compared to the current charge of £1.80 for one hour.
A spokesperson for Westmorland and Furness Council said:
“The council is proposing to change parking arrangements at Mansion House, Penrith. The effect of the proposed order would be to revoke all entries relating to Mansion House (front) and Mansion House (rear) car park.
We are running a consultation on the proposed order until 20th September and anybody can comment on the proposals in writing, in a letter or an email to: Traffic Management Team, South Lakeland House, Lowther Street, Kendal, LA9 4DQ or TROconsultation@westmorlandandfurness.gov.uk."
More details on the council consultation can be found on the council website via this link.
The council has confirmed that the removal of the Mansion House car parks is part of wider preparations by the council to put the former council offices up for sale after the former Eden Distrcit Council failed to complete on the sale of the property when was previously on the market.
A council spokesperson said: “The sale of Mansion House forms a key element of the former One Eden proposal to reshape the council’s accommodation needs in Penrith. We are currently working through several procedural matters in advance of it going on the market.”
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