A PLANNING application has been submitted to Warrington Borough Council for a pay-and-display car park – at least three months after the car park started operating.
In May, Warrington-Worldwide reported that the car park had opened off Sankey Street -apparently without the benefit of planning consent and that council planning chiefs were investigating
The car park is on the site of the former Warrington Baptist Church which was demolished some four years ago when planning consent was given for 18 assisted living apartments.
There was no application for a public car park – nor was any given at that time.
The application that has now been submitted is for a temporary car park for three years, operating 24 hours a day, with permits for key workers and electric charging points.
It is the applicant’s hope to eventually obtain permission for residential use, the application states.
A Warrington Borough Council spokesperson said in May: “We are aware of a new car park operating at this site. There is an investigation taking place so we are unable to comment any further at this time.”
The car park is surfaced in tarmac, well marked out and is operated by SIP (Simple Intelligent Parking) Car Parks. It has been operating for some time.
It is only a few yards from an existing car park that has been operating for several years.
A motorist who used the car park in May asked when told he was using a car park that didn’t have planning consent:
“Does that mean I don’t have to pay if I am issued with a penalty notice?”
It is not an offence to carry out development in advance of applying for planning permission as an application can be made retrospectively – but the applicant runs the risk of enforcement action if the retrospective application is refused.
Warrington-Worldwide telephoned SIP Car Parks at their offices in Manchester in May and was told press enquiries had to be submitted by email. We emailed and received an automated acknowledgement that our message had been received.
But we received no response to our enquiry.
