Future of Parade car park is 'major major risk'

by Lisa Reeves

Tuesday 10^th February 2015

Tue 10^th Feb 2015

Councillor Keegan has raised concerns about the future of The Parade car park and the provision of short term parking in the village, now that Cheshire East have withdrawn from their agreement to manage it and Waitrose looks likely to take over the responsibility.

As reported on alderleyedge.com last month, Cheshire East Council has given notice on their lease of the car park because it has been running at a loss. Under the requirements of their 15-year lease, the Council was required to give three months written notice on their lease of The Parade car park, which they did on January 20th.

Frank Keegan spoke about the Council withdrawing from the management agreement of The Parade car park at the Parish Council meeting on Monday, 9th February.

He said "As from April 27th we are in the vast uncertain world of what is going to happen with The Parade car park. Irrespective of what happens in the short term, in the longer term you'd have to be daft to imagine Waitrose will not operate that car park and it will not operate as a car park for Waitrose's customers benefit. There need not be any short stay car parking provided by Waitrose, it is not in any agreement they have entered into so it is a major major risk for us that there is no short stay car park in the village.

"Everyone knows the problems Waitrose have getting deliveries in and they are really unhappy with how the car park is laid out so there will be a major revamping of the car park.

"I have been having talks with Cheshire East in order to change the South Street car park from a long stay, all day car park into a short stay in order to provide short stay car parking in the centre of the village. Cheshire East have agreed to do that but they can't get their head around the fact they have some permit holders on there. They will let the permit holders stay on South Street for now and the rest of it short stay, and gradually as we provide long stay car parking elsewhere (at Heyes Lane) they will be all short stay and that will be roughly the same amount of spaces as we ever had on The Parade car park and it slightly more central to the village centre.

"So that's at least balancing up what we would lose from The Parade and we will lose something. It doesn't matter who said what to whom and who's having discussions with whom, Aberdeen Asset Management own the property, they own the building and they own car park. They are running it as a business, Waitrose are running a business, they will not allow anyone to take the car park away from them. I don't know who would operate it, who wants it? We don't want any of these car parking clampers.

"I suspect we should have to wait and see what car park Waitrose eventually come up with and that should be up with us by the end of April."

Cllr Keegan added "It highlights the reason why we need a car park on Heyes Lane and we're in for planning permission on Heyes Lane. One of the conditions the planners wanted to see was that we actually had an alternative site, even though it isn't necessary, so the fact we can now say we have Lydiat Lane as an alternative allotment site the planners will say yes OK, we will agree to a change of use and create a car park there - so everything is moving very slowly but very nicely at last."

Cllr Melanie Connor commented "A lot of retailers contact me about car parking and the big problems of it. Some of them are very very frightened of the future so we really have to look at this very seriously and get things moving."

Tags:: Aberdeen Asset Management, Frank Keegan, Parking , Parking, The Parade, Waitrose

Comments

Here's what readers have had to say so far. Why not add your thoughts below.

Emma Cail

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 3:24 pm

If south street turns into short stay- you won't need to worry about customers having places to park as businesses won't be able to operate if staff have no where to park all day. Why does it seem like this problem constantly overlooked? Every day in the village there are plenty of one hour free bays available right in the village centre- I have never had an issue parking in finding somewhere for an hour. However, finding somewhere for more than 1-2 hours is an absolute nightmare- even if you are willing to walk quite a distance it's getting to the point where some days your almost parked in Macclesfield to be able to park to come to work! And even then there is talk of more double yellows to stop workers parking on those roads! So frustrating!

Caroline Downs

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 3:25 pm

Well how about looking on the bright side - Waitrose take over the car park, re-jig it to the benefit of everyone, give their customers 2 hours free parking (which is what they do at their other stores) and charge the going rate for everyone else. Only fair I say.

NB - It has been illegal to clamp cars on ANY privately owned land for years now.

Neil Stelling

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 3:29 pm

Heyes Lane isn't going to happen. So where else can be Long-Term ? Agreed on short-term in waitrose and south st car parks. The solution is obvious to anyone (almost anyone)... Chorley Hall Lane playing fields are waiting to be partially turned into a car park. Maybe some type of 'emergency' measure could get them temporarily operational within weeks. Haven't they previously been used for car parking during Alderley Edge May fair ?

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 3:40 pm

Agreed Neil- or maybe Lydiat lane could be a car park and then the allotments can stay put and we get a car park and everyone is happy!

David Hadfield

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 3:47 pm

Neil, Why do you say "Heyes Lane isn't going to happen" ?

It's a totally logical step for it to happen ...........

1) The Festival Hall / Doctors Surgery / Heyes Lane Allotments become a large car park.

2) The Allotment Holders go to the other area allocated for their exclusive use.

Totally logical. Totally sensible.

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 4:09 pm

David, I'm not starting on this again ! The new medical centre doesn't need extra parking. Allotments are at Heyes Lane. Fields such as chorley hall or lydiat stand empty, just waiting for cars...

Also, aren't there some other recent posts on this site indicating PC have absolutely no legal right to do what they're trying to do ? (a report commisioned by Cheshire East into this situation, for their own debate...)

Mark Pitts

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 4:28 pm

I'm in agreement with Emma - I don't understand where commuters are currently expected to park?

Over the last 12 months I have seen many commuter parking spots around the village disappear - but this simply moves the problem elsewhere.

I do understand the needs of residents and short term shoppers, but if there weren't people working in the village they would have little reason to visit the village centre.

Judy O'Brien

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 4:51 pm

I agree with Emma in so much as it IS increasingly difficult for staff to find all day parking close to the village. South Street for instance is frequently full at 9am, certainly by 9.30am. However, without parking for customers and visitors, there will be no need for staff!

We frequently come across very frustrated customers who have spent time driving round trying to park. Also, we meet many visitors who would like to stay longer, enjoy the village, eat and browse the shops but can't park long enough to enable them to do so. Furthermore, I've often heard customers saying they will avoid coming to Alderley in the future due to the difficulty in parking. Small businesses will (and are) suffering from the increasing drop in footfall. It's a real shame as the village has so much to offer.

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 5:44 pm

Definately Judy- short term 1-2 hours doesn't suit anyone really apart from the quick dash into one or 2 shops. In order to browse all the local shops and go for lunch, use the post office etc etc you need more than an hour so more long term would benefit everyone including smaller businesses. People need to be encouraged to travel to the village and be able to enjoy a day here - making it worthwhile- rather than just going somewhere like the Trafford centre. They don't want to make the journey and have to rush their shopping or coffee.

Vince Fogharty

Tuesday 10^th February 2015 at 6:27 pm

Waitrose taking over the car park wont make that much difference to the parking spaces, most people who park there use the shop during there visit as it is, i can only see it being a good thing if they spend money redesigning it! Since the council have started to enforce the restrictions on London Rd it is now definitely easier to find a spot for an hr, yes when it is peek times like lunch then you cant always find a spot, no different to any other place, I find more spaces during the day than I used to. As for the Heyes Lane saga, we have a one person saying the planners will now be granting permission, 1 person saying they wont, well that's for the planners to decide not for misguided people on here who can only express an opinion to the likely outcome and not the fact, whatever happens we need more long stay parking as Emma has already said as if i meet clients in the village for more than 2 hrs its a nightmare, so for staff its only worse. If Heyes lane does go ahead the council need to decide on how it will be run, i would air caution on making a charge, just walk down Heyes lane during the day and where it is legal to park it is always full of commuters and office workers, who quite rightly can park in these places, so if the council decide to charge why would they move from outside peoples houses when that's free?

Stuart Redgard

Wednesday 11^th February 2015 at 12:03 am

Please bare with me but I would just like to clarify something with this article.

I live in Wilmslow, but have used this car park on numerous occasions.

Councillor Frank Keegan is reported as saying "Aberdeen Asset Management own the property, they own the building and they own car park". If this quote is correct (which I have no reason to believe otherwise), then he is WRONG. He has either been misinformed, said something he didn't mean to say in the heat of the moment (Which I also do) or hasn't done his research properly.

The previous article about the future of the Parade Car Park clearly states that "The lease is with Aberdeen Asset Management, who are the landlords agent".

http://bit.ly/1DDzfWu

I spoke to a representative from Aberdeen Asset Management and they confirmed that they were not the owner but the landlords agent. They also said that they were in discussion with several other parties who had expressed an interest in taking on the lease. They also confirmed that Waitrose had a clause in their lease agreement relating to the minimum number of parking spaces to be provided, and any reduction would have to be agreed with Waitrose or else they could take action against anybody who reduce the number of parking spaces.

I understand that parking is an emotive issue and people can say things they don't mean to say in the heat of debate. I hope Councillor Keegan doesn't take offence at what I have written as none is meant. I just want the people of Alderley Edge to be correctly informed.

Vin Sumner

Wednesday 11^th February 2015 at 4:23 pm

Hey , given the recent announcement of trials for driverless autonomous vehicles , we will need less cars, as we will share them, and be able to get more packed into a car park as they park themselves. In fact they might even be trained to park in the correct places as opposed to some of our community who seem to struggle unless on the pavement or yellow lines. Simple debates about parking are very 20th Century , we need to reflect on how the village will be as new technologies enable different us all to live and behave differently but perhaps with higher quality of life.