Battle lines are being drawn as a public inquiry gets under way tomorrow over a Lake District car park.
The hearing, overseen by an independently-appointed planning inspector, takes place at the Lake District National Park Authority headquarters, Murley Moss, Kendal.
In one corner is the landowner of a popular car park at Ullswater, and in the other the national park authority.
Peter Winter, a planning agent representing landowner Ronald Richardson, of Soulby, is appealing a pair of enforcement notices issued by planning officers for the authority. They concern the development and use of Waterfoot car park, Ullswater, on the west side of Dunmallard hill. The car park is where the A592 meets the B5230 near Waterfoot, and its future retention hinges on the outcome of the appeal.
The hearing, starting on Tuesday, 27th February and scheduled to last between two and three days, will take evidence from all sides.
It will then adjourn for the inspector’s decision later in the year. Since the land was turned into a car park, it has proved immensely popular, particularly with wild swimmers, visitors and Ullswater-based businesses.
But some organisations have objected to a ‘temporary’ car park in a ‘sensitive site’, while national park planners have alleged breach of its original planning permission.
