Having promised prior to the May election that parking will be the "first and most crucial issue" that they will tackle if voted on to Alderley Edge Parish Council, they have now revealed their proposals for solving what they describe as 'the village's biggest headache'.
Car Parking Review and Strategy
Since the elections in May the new Parish Council has been working hard to identify potential solutions to the village's car parking problems.
This process has included:
- Extensive discussion with Cheshire East
- Parking surveys - carried out with the help of fellow residents (to whom we extend our sincere thanks)
- Discussions with members of AETAG and other employers in the village
- Discussions with residents, including the Heyes Lane Allotments holders
We have then used this information to explore options for providing additional car parking in the village. More detail on this will be made available at public meetings and also in a detailed report (Editor's note: which I hope to be able to make available on alderleyedge.com).
Our main recommendations
First a word about the criteria we have applied in reaching these conclusions. This is a subject that evokes strong opinions. People will often argue for solutions which require no sacrifice or cost to them and which place all the responsibility on others. We do not believe this is acceptable. We all have a part to play in managing the parking problems in the village.
Our first guiding principle is therefore fairness and balance. In short we do not believe that any one age group or location should be called on to provide a single solution for everyone else. We also believe that cost and affordability must be taken into account, which in our view has not been the case in the recent past.
New Car Parks
Our recommended solutions cents on two new car park locations:
1. Heyes Lane
A car park providing 44 car parking spaces, taking up approximately one quarter of the allotments. This will also include an access road to the Festival Hall, relieving traffic from Stamford and Talbot Roads. It will also ensure the viability of the revitalized Festival Hall by providing additional car parking space for evening and weekend events.
We have commissioned an outline assessment by independent consultants, who have put forward the car parking layout shown above.
This solution does entail some loss of allotment space (approximately one quarter of the total area), but we hope that the allotment holders (Editor's note: which the previous parish council reported to be 26) will be able to accept this given the benefits it provides to meet the wider needs of the community. The cost of this, according to our consultants, would be £200,000, giving a cost per space of £4,545.
2. Chorley Hall Lane
A car park providing 100 spaces on the lower end of the playing fields, which will provide low-cost long stay car parking spaces for those working in the village. From the work we have done so far this is the lowest cost site available to us and would not result in any loss of amenity to sports clubs using Chorley Hall Lane playing fields. Our consultants estimate the cost for this car park at £374,000, giving a cost per space of 3,740. To date this is the lowest cost site we have identified.
There are some drawbacks to this site. The location entails a slightly longer than ideal walk into the village, and access across the railway bridge is narrow. However, on balance we believe that it is the best option we have for providing significant numbers of all-day parking spaces.
Other Car Parks
South Street: This car park will be focussed on short stay for the use of shoppers and other visitors, with a maximum stay of three hours.
Ryleys Lane: This car park is currently free to use and has no space markings. It is commonly used for all day parking by commuters using the nearby railway station. We are exploring options for introducing a similar regime as at South Street so that the car park can be used to provide short term parking for visitors and shoppers.
And finally...
We are aware that a number of residents still favour the complete conversion of the Heyes Lane allotment for car parking, based on the previous promise that a 140 space grasscrete car park could be provided for just £280,000 (£2000 per space). Not only does this proposal not meet our criteria of balance and fairness, but we have also found no evidence to support the £280,000 estimate - it is significantly at odds with the figures we have been quoted by independent consultants. (Editors note: these figures were not included in the report)
Alderley Edge Parish Councillor Mike Taylorson.
Mike Taylorson has only been able to provide a brief summary of their analysis here and invites residents to come along to their meeting to learn more.
A parking review meeting will be held the Methodist Church on Chapel Road at 7pm on Thursday 14th January. There will then be a follow-up meeting. also at the Methodist Church, on Thursday, 11th February (time to be confirmed) when the Parish Council will present the feedback they have received.
What do you think about the proposals being put forward for Heyes Lane and Chorley Hall Playing Fields? Share your views via the comment box below.
Comments
Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.
Without commenting on the substance of the proposals for the above reasons , I am disappointed both that no options are given , and that the issue is simply represented as a parking problem.
Best
Vin
My hope is that illegal infringement of the existing no parking areas will as part of the solution be enforced as I fear despite this very positive step some drivers may consider it still necessary to park on double yellow lines than use the car park, sad but possibly true.
Well done Parish council, credit when it's due.
There is no mention of time-scale. It would be helpful to know when the plan might be implemented...the village is desperate! Well done, so far, Parish Council :-)
Has Cheshire East agreed to the partial use of the C.H.Lane playing field site as a car park?
If C.H.L. playing field is part converted to a car park, did the feasability study mention any needed road works to C.H.lane ? Has C.E. mentioned any such ?
The allotment people originally stated that there was no legal way that the Heyes Lane allotments could be turned into a car park. Has this legal barrier been overcome ?
In the past there were 'conversations' with larger employers re. possible block-booking for their employees. Has anything similar taken place recently ?
Please please please, do not implement this before replacement all day parking has been created!
The spaces there are the only ones still publicly available to commuters, the other 150 having been removed or changed to short stay despite this being explicitly warned against in the previous parking review.
I suspect the only reason Ryles Lane has not yet been removed as a commuter option is because it has not been fully adopted by the council. It is hopelessly inadequate as the only available all day location as recent articles on this site have shown.
I support the multi-site idea as opposed to a single site solution.....albeit sad to see the proposed loss of allotments and playing field space
I am concerned though that this is only the start of a problem that will grow exponentially unless we use this opportunity to look seriously at alternatives to arriving in Alderley Edge by car.
The rate and scale of planned development in the area means that these proposals will offer only a fleeting solution. Very soon we will be talking about another playing field or allotment or piece of green-belt land.
It's time to pressure CE into taking the issue of public transport and school transport provision much more seriously.
Like many other towns and villages in the area we need the restoration of affordable, regular and reliable bus and train services, and an incentive to use them. Likewise there ought to be investment in the provision of safe cycle lanes as seen in more forward thinking towns in this and other countries.
Did your wife run off with a Heyes Lane allotment holder or something?
Just asking :)
There is significant reference to costs above however if 100 spaces were constructed at the Heyes lane site the actual cost per space would reduce and is likely to be comparable to that stated for CHL playing field (you must compare with comparable spaces). Further the capital cost per space must be related back to the revenue earned, there is no way CHL playing field will recover the revenues to the same extent that could be received at Heyes Lane - it is proven, given the current parking habits and inherently obvious that CHL playing field (and especially when the carpark has been positioned furthest from the village) that it will not be used for car parking by shoppers / restaurant goers, train park and riders, medical center patrons, people attending festival hall or a great many of the town workers (office and shops) as it is not of close enough proximity to each of these services stated above (and certainly not close enough to justify a premium rate - Heyes Lane on the other hand has numerous amenities nearby that will provide for no other option but to utilise this carpark facility). Please also consider the other monitoring and security implications / costs that this isolated option at CHL would present.
These are initial quick observations only (given holiday period) and do not take further the disappointment that those elected and who campaigned for preserving the villages green spaces are now proposing to take a significant area of green space within the village that is available in full to ALL residents - not just the sports clubs (and who I might add do use more than just a playing field and would welcome additional field or training areas) or only 26 Allotment Holders. This such declaration of preserving green space was made clear in Alderley Edge First published material at time of elections.
If the idea is to get those that work in the village off the roads into the long stay car parks, it looks like that there won't be enough space as it seems there are plans to turn the ryleys lane car park into a short stay. That is 'commonly used by long stay commuters' using the railway station with the railway station car park full.
If the Ryleys lane car park becomes short stay, that's c. 80 cars that are going to need a long stay car park. So they either all take up completely the heyes lane car park and c.40 spaces of Chorley hall lane or they practically use all of the Chorley hall lane one.
So at best, only c.40 cars will be taken off the street.
Surely keeping the Ryleys lane car park as a station handy car park for long stay commuters makes sense???
a couple of things.
1. Can we please see a diagram of where the C.H.Lane car parking would go on the
playing field?
2. £574k for 144 spaces.
(a) where would the money come from? If you have got C.E. to cough it up, then well done to you.
(b) what would it cost to provide all 144 spaces on Heyes Lane; as in would it be significantly cheaper that a double site?
1. There is a diagram at the top of this article of the layout at CHL.
2. "Mike Taylorson has only been able to provide a brief summary of their analysis here and invites residents to come along to their meeting to learn more."
Just a note; the Heyes Lane site is leased to the P.C. whereas, to the best of my knowledge, the C.H. Lane site is still owned by C.E. and not leased out. Further the land comprising the C.H.Lane site was purchased (from whom I know not) for use as a specific playing field. Does all this affect the legal position?
What happens if the Chorley Hall Lane (and side streets thereof) inhabitants very much object to having a large car park on the C.H.Lane site. with all the great increase in traffic?
The 'Chorley Hall Lane First' party?
The diagram of parking on C.H.L. site (which I can now see; wonderful things glasses!) does, to me at any rate, suggest that as a playing field it will virtually cease to exhist.
However, I do think that the use of Chorley Hall Playing fields is a huge mistake.
I would like to state that I did suggest that the side of the fields near the allotments should be taken to increase allotments, but object to it being used for car parking.
1. The field is used for children who play in teams and practice there throughout the year. Why take space away from sport and the youth but campaign for no use of the allotment with a very few holders?
2. CH playing fields should have a small tarmacked area for parents dropping off but not a car park.
3, Have they considered the residents in this area. We have already had our residential area ruined by over development and volume of cars. CH lane is dangerous and what have the police had to say?
I want proper car parking and a proper car park that doesn't take away from our children and their sport. I still believe that the only way is to take the whole of Heyes Lane and turn it into a car park.
That didn't take £5,000 to discuss
Totally agree with you about the timing , lack of information and lack of options , as well as costs; £500,000 plus for 144 parking spaces sounds a lot and is I understand; cheaper to remove restrictions in parts of the village and let all rather than just the selfish park there.
Can someone describe succinctly the problem that this proposal is supposed to solve including information about all current parking spaces in A/E , both current and potential ... e.g. daytime use of residents parking spaces , removal of double yellow lines etc etc .... then express the demand in terms of what's needed ( presume someone has this data ) ... and then put forward 2/3 costed solutions to the village with a PC recommendation. These must also identify where the money will come from and how the new parking regime will implemented/enforced. If all this exists then great , lets see it.
I note an increasing number of people posting here agree that transport not parking is the underlying problem, and that opens up a whole range of alternatives to removing green space , when there is already enough "tarmac" in the village.
I am also for once in agreement with Duncan :-) on wondering why the previous narrative that the allotments could not be built on for all sorts of covenant reasons has now conveniently changed.
Happy New Year
Vin
PS @PC Please find a way of doing a proper consultation including online , this is important.
PC still haven't said that the argument they used in election that the Allotments couldn't be used legally has changed. Or was it already????
1 big car park - to be used throughout the day for workers and at night for functions at the hall is ideal, not little bits everywhere else. Even people I meet who were against this once are with me now- funny old world!
1) The cost per space is irrelevant without factoring the utilisation / revenue per space.
2) I fear Chorley Hall spaces will be under utilised due to distance from the village in the same way those at the Festival Hall used to be (when they were available).
3) The narrow pavement is a real issue as with the increased footfall and traffic it will make an accident more likely.
4) If unsupervised I think that the Chorley Hall spaces may be a target for thieves due its relative remoteness and the fact it's all day parking. It will only take an instance or two of smashed windows to further put off people from using it.
5) Happy New Year everyone!
One of the problems seems to be finding space for all day parking. On an average day, how many houses with drives have free space? Perhaps the PC could operate a matching service for willing residents and workers.
Both sites are pretty much equidistant to the strip of shops/bars/offices off London Road; but come on really, if you are able bodied you'd have to be a full on hardcore exercise dodger to perceive either car park to be a long walk!
Walk for 10 minutes from anywhere to anywhere in AE and you've covered it.
Protect the rights of people with mobility issues though by ensuring that central spaces are disabled only.
You make a very interesting point. There are already web sites that allow people to rent out their drives to people. Sites like http://www.justpark.com or http://www.yourparkingspace.co.uk both have available space in AE.
I am sure there are many people who have private drives available in the day that might be able to make a little money from this idea and also help the overall parking situation.
Agree, think we need more ideas like drive parking and less loss of green space
Not sure the current thinking allows for such creativity
I am the only person who remembers the bottom of the CH playing field floods periodically and has done since at least the 1970's. does the cost include the pumping station that will be needed to prevent the water impacting on the houses on CHL
the bottom end of the C.H.L. Playing Field has drains running under it, paralel to Chorley Lodge.
I know of this as the first 'job' I had as a Parish Councilor was when a lady 'phoned me to complain that her garden flooded whenever it rained. She lived adjacent to the flooding place.
The drains aforementioned had partly collapsed. The nice people at Cheshire East came and memded.
If there is to be a car park, will those drains have to be moved, as they would be rather hard to get at, with cars parked on top? This may add to any proposed cost?
1. Want a full car park on Heyes Lane and think it looks very poor at the moment compared to the other 2 allotments in the village. 2 people actually thought it was out of use!
2. Want a petition started by residents and kids who use CH Lane fields and live around it.
3.Are wondering how as the PC said in all their election literature that it wasn't possible to build on Heyes Lane have suddenly decided it is.
As for me - driving down Redesmere where I live is like navigating a skiing slalom due to the parking ( not by residents I may add).
I think you have to accept that a significant proportion of Alderley Edge people DONT want a full car park on Heyes Lane as this was one of the central issues in last years PC election that saw the advocates of the Heyes Lane car park resoundingly beaten at the poll.
The conversion of part of the Heyes Lane allotment is still only a proposal by the new PC as is the conversion of part of the CHL Playing Field and the use of other sites that they have identified.
But I think that you misunderstand a very important principle.
The difference between this and the former PC is "Consultation."
The former PC tried to impose something that was obviously unacceptable to the people of Alderley Edge. The new PC have studied the issues, made proposals and are inviting comment.
These sites can only be developed with the approval of the owners / covenant holders and I guess that this is why Mike Dudley-Jones recently told us that it could take up to five years to get the plans fully formed, passed and executed - this is not something that the PC has much direct control over.
Personally, if there has to be additional car parking, I would prefer the use of multi-sites in order to spread the load. Geographically, CHL and Heyes Lane are equidistant from the centre of The Village (Barclays clock)
It is possible to take part of Heyes Lane (subject to appropriate permission being granted) and still have a thriving group of allotments and valuable green barrier between development. In the same way, it is perfectly possible to use part of CHL and still have plenty of room for a playing field / football pitch.
It's interesting that you seem to be willing to find any reason not to develop part of CHL Playing Field which you overlook, but would happily support the use of Heyes Lane. Could this be seen as just a tiny bit nimbyist?
I also note that the two spaces near the entrance are disabled spaces on both the plans.
One of the criteria for a blue badge is being able to walk less than 50m. Where are people going to go within a 50m radius? or is there going to be a pavement to the village wide enough for wheelchairs and mobility scooters?
If the village is prepared to sacrifice green space for parking, why not extend the Ryleys Lane car park into the Park, loss of amenity land is the same but the car park is near the village centre, the station and the school. Allotment holders and property owners impacted nil and the village retains a space for a full sized sports field.
nice to 'speak' with someone without there being insults or references to the past !
The idea of enlarging the car park in the park has been floating around for some time. For what its worth, I'm in favour; least worst concept, tho' my preference is for a complete car-parking of the Heyes Lane site.
Lately more people are 'talking up' enlarging the Ryleys Lane/Park car park enlargement. Including a 'development' of the concept i.e. to build a two-story car park there. I'm not sure about that, but as its 'in the air' we need to consider it ?
"Lately more people are 'talking up' enlarging the Ryleys Lane/Park car park enlargement. Including a 'development' of the concept i.e. to build a two-story car park there. I'm not sure about that, but as its 'in the air' we need to consider it ? "
I think that this idea would be a great plan and impacting on few that reside in the village while assisting those that don't
Access to and from CHL via a pavement barely wide enough for one person is hopeless and please don't tarmac over RL park where children can play well away from traffic. The small parking arear there should be reserved for short term parking.
A business plan for the Hall is in preparation, I believe, but to attract rentals there MUST be adequate parking at all times. During the day, I can see the 44 spaces, shown in the plan above, could easily be filled with all-day parkers, not to mention patients and staff of the medical centre; there aren't going to be many spaces at the rear of the hall.
I have always been in favour of the Heyes Lane site and am pleased to see that our new council has taken that space into consideration, even if it is claimed that they were voted in on a mandate to leave it alone. If the size of the new parking area could be doubled, the number of car spaces could go up to 100 and the unit cost would surely be reduced form the £4545 quoted.
To my knowledge, the number of active allotment holders on the Heyes Lane site has never been disclosed. Also, how many are vacant on the other 2 sites? Can we be assured that all holders ARE Alderley residents? What is the ruling about renting more than one allotment? Perhaps one of their supporters could enlighten us?
I am a keen gardener myself and I am all for people "growing their own" but, to me, the Heyes Lane site for a new car park is the only sensible, long term solution.
Finally, of course, perhaps the council could let us know what the situation is regarding change of use.
There is one pitch on that field, pretty much in the middle so a car park on the proposed plan would help the weekend footballers on Sunday morning and then serve a use for workers in the week and Saturday/Sunday PM.
I am sure the owner of Chorley Hall Lodge will be over the moon at your suggestion, having spent x million for a house with a nice open space next to it.
It will be still an open space and they might not have their drive way blocked every Sunday morning.
Many of the questions you ask have been dealt with at some length over past months and years, but I'll try to offer my understanding on some of the points.
Right at the inception of the Festival Hall / Medical Centre plan it was agreed by the Developers and the Medical Practice folk that the design included adequate parking provision for Hall users and staff and visitors to the Medical Centre. As far as I know, this hasn't changed.
There was (in my opinion) quite a cynical attempt to conflate the development of the FH with the taking over of Heyes Lane Allotment site for car parking but I think that most people saw through that.
I believe it was stated that there are 27 allotment plots on the site and that 21 are worked by people living within the village whilst the others are tended by people from far away places with strange sounding names like Mottram St Andrew and Wilmslow. But the main thrust of the argument for keeping the Allotment site was (is) that this was an amenity bequeathed to the people of Alderley Edge by the De Trafford Estate specifically for the purpose of recreation. It was also felt that the allotment provided a last ribbon of green space in an area that has seen significant development in recent years .
Also, there is a significant permanent water course flowing through the Heyes Lane allotment site and the cost of diverting or enclosing this would (I believe) increase the cost per bay to a level that puts it beyond realistic consideration.
I agree with others that the car park on the park could easily be enlarged to provide an additional 30 -40 bays by both extending it toward London Road and providing some herring-bone parking against the fence to the right hand side of the driveway. I would be very cautious of plans to double deck any car park on this site as that would seriously blight the view of St Philips Church from one of its best vantage points,
I also support the use of part of CHL for parking as this could be accommodated whilst keeping adequate space for a full sized football pitch and in building the car park, the age old problem of drainage on CHL playing field would have to be addressed and maybe the ugly changing rooms and embankment could be given a facelift?
Perhaps the concern over pedestrian access and particularly disabled access from this site into the village could be addressed by making CHL "one way" from its junction with Carlisle Street which would enable the widening of the footpath over the railway bridge.
Surely the provision of additional parking spaces on three sides of the village, whilst not removing the principle, amenity of any of those three sites can't be a bad idea?
here we go again re. the number of plots on the Heyes Lane Allotments site AND the number currently not in use AND the number of non-A.E. residents using the site AND the number of vacent sites on other allotment sites.
All these figures must be known to the Parish Council as (a) it is the landlord of the sites and (b) some of the Parish Councilors are either allotment holders or 'close to' the allotment holders.
So can we please do without the 'guesswork' and ask either the P.C. or the Allotments elected officers to give the true details?
Preferably sooner rather than later please.
The numbers I quoted were from a reply given by Mike Dudley-Jones on this site in answer to a question from you (amongst others.) Are you really so forgetful that you have forgotten already?
If so, might I suggest that you read through the interesting and amusing threads that make up the reflective summary of 2015's highlights provided by Lisa recently - particularly those immediately preceding the May election, you will find the information you seek there.
allways good to' hear' your chortlesome tones.
1. You write above that 'there was adequate parking provision for Hall users and staff and visitors'. This has become a 'folk myth'. It is untrue. I sat in many a meeting with the medics during the planing of the medical centre and they always made it clear that they would like 20+ parking spaces for the use of the medical centre. They did not choose to put this out in public. i may not be in the 'first flush of spring', but my memory usually creaks into action!
2. In the old days, it was always difficult to extract figures from the allotment officers. When extracted, the figures did not always seem to be the same ! I have a suspicion that your figures of 21 and 27 may not be accurate; no imputation against your honesty, more that the figures floating around are not accurate.
Let the P.C or allotment officers. put out the latest figures eh? Then we won't need to argue?
3. I see that I came number 19 in the top 20 subjects/highlights. Can I put out an L.P. of my best bits now?
Hi Fenton I think the pitch is a mini soccer pitch not an 11v11 pitch, I think the village would have no site big enough for 11v11 or possibly 9v9. Plus most mini soccer teams try to train around the pitch they use on match days. Perhaps someone involved in the club can comment.
The FA foundation may well fund an improved facility to remove the "ugly pavilion" (which is much nicer than the old wooden one I first remember) on the site grants are available, I know of one village that secured £276,000 which is a fraction of the size of Alderley Edge.
Hi Donald, if you look on google maps you will see the RL park is part of a continuos piece of amenity land through to CHL, joined by the allotments so wherever you tarmac on that site the kids will have the same area to play in.
Increase of Traffic (with a high percentage being SUVs) not just of the successful 'parkers', also the many unsuccessful ones too.
The Rail Bridge not being fit for purpose - being 63cm wide and my partner struggles to keep a pram on their daily with large cars passing very close to her at high speed. It is a bridge from a different era not fit for a busy residential area let alone a new car park.
Position of Car Park Entrance - to the left a blind bridge, to the right a blind bend with parked cars, opposite an entrance to a residential area.
Crime - perfect spot away from the high street to for drug (mainly cocaine use in the bars) dealers and car crime. I have witnessed it in Waitrose at night so this proposed car park will be much easier.
Cost Comparisons - they dont seem fair, just simple economies of scale to build 100 spaces than 44. Compare 44 to 44 or 100 to 100 then thats fair enough.
Flooding - I noted some comments above that gave me concerns about if costing has been done with regards to the drainage and if any car park here will simply flood.
Preferences of the Parish Council - I noted the Chairman and Vice were both residents of Heyes Lane so maybe cannot give a fair point of view. I for one dont want it in my road and its only human that they dont either.
My real interest is not having it on CHL rather than saying have it anywhere else. Looking at the two comparisons though Heyes Lane seems the better one to build a bigger car park. Im sure the allotment people arent happy but move on a few unhappy allotment owners to a new patch in Wilmslow or something than put the recreational area and safety of children at risk. Or find a better solution elsewhere with regards to cars coming into the village rather than where to put them. What about the vacant pub next to the merlin? Put a multi storey car park there, on an already busy road maybe.
Using the diagram of CHL playing field above:
a) a space for an A.E. car is 5 yards (that's about a Range Rover's length).
b) there would need to be a space between the line of cars nearest to Chorley Lodge; there may be a legal distance, but may I say 2 yards?
c) using South Street's car park as a measure, there needs to be approx. 5 yards between rows of cars.
That adds up to:
4 rows of cars = 4 x 5 = 20 yards
2 yards space at fence = 2 yards
2 x 5 yards 'roads' between the rows of cars = 10 yards
gap between the two adjacent rows of cars = 2 yards
another two yards on th 'outside' of the southern-most row of cars (for safety's sake).
Thus a total of approx. 36 yards
The distance from the Chorley Lodge fence to the nearest white line of the football pitch is approx. 49 yards.
This leaves a space of approx. 49-36 = 13 yards. Would you wish to park your car 13 yards from a football match? Who would be liable for broken wing mirrors etc.?
These are just approximations, to make a point. Make what you will of them.
p.s. If I have over or under estimated by a yard or so, one way or the other then my apologies.
*Are the figures that are quoted, from a commissioned report?
* If so, may we have the name of the Company concerned please?
* May we know how much cost was charged for the report please?
* May we see the full report rather than (possibly cherry-picked) bits please? On here
perhaps? On the P.C's web site? As a paper copy available to members of the general
public?
Since the general public of the village are paying for any report, I can't see any objection to the report being published.
I make no assertions against the probity of the Parish Council of course; I simply would like to read the report for myself.
It is clear that the proposal of 100 Nr car parking spaces at CHL Playing Field will place significant restrictions on the playing field surface (of any size and when orientated in any direction). Please also note that more than just a playing surface is required, areas are required for training off the pitch (to reduce wear on the surface for games), warm-up for reserves, spectators and the general public / village who may also wish to use / move through this space while a game is on etc. etc.
http://goo.gl/cuHIRx
Yes the question has been asked before but not, to the best of my knowledge, been answered.
The last time C.E. was asked, the answer was of the 'over our dead bodies' sort !
@anyone .. what happened to the plan from a while ago to convert the "waitrose" site in a way that had the retail brought forward to london road , include underground car parking and the building of "affordable" homes
Thank you for your detailed response to my comments. Like Duncan, I would like to see verified numbers of allotment holders and not only on the Heyes Lane site. Are there sufficient numbers of allotments available on the other two sites to satisfy demand.
In one sentence you say that the "this was an amenity bequeathed to the people of Alderley Edge by the de Trafford Estate" and earlier say it is apparently OK for residents of Mottram and Wilmslow to use it. You can't have it both ways.
As regards the water course - perhaps you could enlighten me as to the line it takes as there are no visible signs from the surface. There are many underground water courses in Alderley, none of which seem to cause problems.
I sincerely hope that the meeting on Thursday will not descend into a shouting match. The parking issue can only be solved by reasoned discussion with ALL the facts before us and those facts supported by verifiable UNBIASED evidence.
You ask me questions that I cant answer as I am not on the PC, have little interest in allotments or their membership / user details.
I merely tried to help you by relaying information that has previously been published on this web forum.
I have not said that it's okay for residents of Mottram or Wilmslow to use Alderley Edge allotments so please don't misquote me.
My interest in keeping the Heyes Lane allotment "as is" is purely based on the fact that there has been a lot of development on Heyes lane in recent years, the old Cottage Hospital and it's expansive and attractive grounds has gone, the Royal Oak pub and it's wonderful bowling green have gone, the excellent little Library (formerly a Police Station and Cells) has gone and the allotment site stands as the last remaining swathe of undeveloped land on that side of Alderley Edge Village.
I accept that it is likely that some of the Heyes Lane land may have to be given up to provide car parking. Whilst regrettable, the fact that it is a relatively small part and that the remainder can be used for its bequeathed purpose, is of some comfort.
I understand and sympthise with the views of CHL residents, but we will either have to compromise and give up parts of various sites because that is the only way of solving the "problem" or we just carry on as it is and wait for people to adjust their travel plans based on the currently available parking.
The latter solution would be my preferred option as I believe that the loss of ANY green space is too high a price to pay for car parking - particularly when it is being taken from the tax paying public to largely serve the needs of businesses and business users.
I do not anticipate that any existing business in Alderley Edge will falter purely due to a perceived lack of parking, and if it does, I would suggest that the business was built on pretty rocky foundations to start with.
I sincerely applaud your interest in 'alternative' solutions.
A while back I suggested that you 'kick start' a forum/interest group/whatever, to look into possibilities. You may have thought that I was being sarcastic/humourous. I was not.
You could do it with or without the involvement of the various official bodies around.
Whether you would be able to turn out a 'winning' set of suggestions? who knows!
perhaps a place to start 'recruiting' is here ?
The long term solution to the parking problem will only come from finding ways to encourage less cars.
The drive share idea is a good one and it works well in other areas - as does car sharing.
We could "encourage" CE to invest in better public transport services to serve the Village. We used to have excellent bus and train services through Alderley Edge but these have been removed or made unattractive through lack of investment.
Alderley businesses could be encouraged to employ from a willing and talented local workforce who wouldn't need to commute in to work.
Both Vin and Jonathan Savill have posted other good ideas that would (IMHO) be worthy of further consideration.
Could we force a re-think before the bulldozers move in to remove some green space?
Regarding the CHL site, I share many of the concerns already voiced in the sense that:
- The proposal renders the playing field redundant
- The location of the CHL site is far from ideal
- The route into the village (over bridge) is hazardous
- Future ramifications; extension of the site
- Have costs been taken into account for any alterations required to the bridge?
Surely it makes both economic and environmental sense to better utilise and/or extend existing parking sites? Whilst I agree in principle to the Parish Council's approach of multiple locations, I don't see why a single solution should not be considered if it offers fewer drawbacks.
My own view is that the Ryleys Lane site is far better suited due to it's proximity to schools, railway station, shops and offices. The existing site could be extended into the park, retaining the pitch. With careful design/planning this could also offer multi-level parking without being an eyesore and therefore offer better value for money.
Whatever your preference, I'd hope the last thing anyone would want is to go to significant expense & disruption only to create a car park that's rarely used.
The very concept of a solution is a fantasy. Furthermore it polarises opinion in what is probably an unhelpful way. Would it not be better for the PC to just say that they will try and alleviate some of the current issues? To do this there needs to be a clear understanding of what these issues are, the problem being that everyone will see the issues differently.
There also needs to be an honest acceptance of what can and can't be done. Can the PC really raise £575,000? of course they can't. So where does that money come from? I guess that would be CEC. In these times of budget cuts, is that really going to happen?
some good while back, a group of villagers produced a 'parish Plan'.
I was not involved, so I have no axe to grind.
The previous P.C. was not directly involved, so no residual 'anti' there.
Perhaps these same people might be willing to become involved in a 'group' looking at alternative traffic problem solutions?
I won't be joining you; if I were to be involved, I suspect that a number of others would 'run a mile', to get away!