Action on Longmead Parking Problems

A meeting of the borough council's Environment Committee on 20th June agreed to a "broad brush" survey of part of the Longmead housing estate, where there are acute parking problems.

Despite the fact that the chairman of the Committee told councillors that there was no money to make any changes at the moment, the meeting heard how there were small verge areas which could accommodate perhaps 10 extra parking spaces.

Councillor Julie Morris suggested that the area should be surveyed, at the very least, to see what could be done to alleviate the situation which was reported as one of competition between residents for parking space.

Labour councillors for the area seemed unsure as to what action could be taken and what to suggest.

The subject came to Committee because of a Motion to Council and will again be debated at a meeting of the whole Council on 17th July. The results of the survey will be reported back to an autumn meeting of the Environment Committee. A project to deal with a shortage of parking space in some areas of Longmead was thought to be suitable for part-funding via a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL). CIL is a new system of developer contributions which will be introduced in just under two years. Developer contributions will not entirely fund CIL projects, so the Borough Council will need to have a budget for CIL projects as well. In order to be suitable for CIL, local projects must be costed and detailed in their plans. The Hollymoor Lane development, now out to tender, could attract a CIL which could help pay for changes to the housing estate to enable more parking spaces for the residents who live there.