Cornwall Council Identifies 25 Car Parks for Potential Transfer

Cornwall Council has designated 25 car parks for potential modifications, as part of a broader initiative to divest itself of 2,000 assets. Among these 25 parking facilities, 14 currently do not impose charges after 16:00 in the evening, while the remaining 11 levy fees exclusively between April 1st and October 31st. The council stated that the proposed decentralization of some of its car parks is part of an effort to achieve £2 million in savings. Councillors serving on the economic growth scrutiny committee are scheduled to deliberate on the disposal of these car parks during a meeting on Tuesday. Phil Mason, a senior council officer, had previously indicated that between 40 and 50 car parks were being considered for transfer. The authority clarified that the car parks under review are classified as not being in strategic locations, meaning they do not, for instance, contribute to traffic management or serve as public transport hubs. A report submitted to the committee outlined that this change would involve leasing a car park site to a company owned by the council, which would then be responsible for managing the land, as reported by the Local Democracy Reporting Service. The report further stated: “The benefits of this approach are that a single company is managing the maintenance, improvements and car park operations.” The council currently possesses 231 car parks, generating approximately £300,000 annually from enforcement income. Revenue from paid parking charges totals about £18 million per year. The 25 car parks identified for consideration include: Rosewarne & Extension, Camborne; Readymoney, Fowey; Helford Village, near Helston; Castle Street, Launceston; Pannier Market, Launceston; Walkhouse, Launceston; St Peter’s Hill, Newlyn; Albany Road, Newquay; Belmon Road, Newquay; Dane Road, Newquay; Tregunnel, Newquay; Watergate Bay, near Newquay; Trebarwith Strand, near Tintagel; Porthcothan Bay, near Padstow; Commercial Road, Penryn; Kittos Field, Porthleven; Belle Vue West, Saltash; Seaton Park, Seaton; Reppers Coombe, St Agnes; Clifden Road, St Austell; Park Avenue, St Ives; Porthmeor, St Ives; Tintagel Visitors Centre; Antony Road, Torpoint; and Cawsand, near Torpoint.