Traffic and parking problems affecting life in a popular Lake District honeypot have resulted in major plans being drawn up for a bigger car park and visitor hub.
Eusmere Car Park at Pooley Bridge could be extended out onto a neighbouring field with a modern toilet block and visitor information centre.
The scheme would offer 72 car parking bays, six disabled parking spots, 11 bays for electric vehicles, and four spaces for coaches.
The area is increasingly coming under pressure from cars with a planning battle ongoing as a local landowner seeks to make permanent a 50-space car park scheme at nearby Waterfoot, where the A592 meets the B5230.
The new application for Eusmere follows concerns that parking in Pooley Bridge is insufficient to meet demand. Its long stay parking is reported as being full early in the day – often by staff employed in local businesses.
They have to rely on their own cars due to shortcomings in public transport, according to the applicants.
Informal talks have already taken place about the car park being extended.
These have involved national park planners, the parish council, local businesses and some local residents. The applicants said: “The proposed scheme has been designed and developed in consultation with and in response to the comments of the stakeholder groups.
The comments of the LDNPA have informed the principle of the development and the design and layout of the development. The proposed toilet block and visitor information centre were incorporated into the development in response to the comments of the parish council, who it is understood have held aspirations to deliver such a facility for a number of years.”
Miles MacInnes, chairman of Barton and Pooley Bridge Parish Council, said it would be meeting at 7pm on 13th June to decide its view on the Eusmere Car Park proposal. He said: “There is undoubtedly a serious problem of parking in the village because parking in the centre of the village is free and all day. You can go there at 8am and it’s full and remains full virtually all day.”
“There’s a car park behind The Sun Inn which has an application pending and we’ve supported that, and I think there’s room (in Pooley Bridge) for another.”
The application has been submitted by Portland Construction Management Services Ltd, of Irthington, Carlisle. It said in a statement: “The proposal will provide facilities for day visitors to Pooley Bridge and Ullswater and walkers of both the Ullswater Way and Eamont Way, as well as the footfall from nearby campsites who regularly frequent the village.
“It is intended that the information centre will provide details of activities and attractions locally and provide cycle hire facilities both traditional and electric. A comprehensive landscaping scheme is proposed, comprising a combination of transplanted and newly-planted trees with additional evergreen hedging between the parking corridors.” A decision will be made by the Lake District National Park Authority at a later date.
