Agenda item

Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Wilkinson)

 

Report of Chief Officer Sustainable Growth

Minutes:

(Cabinet Member with Special Responsibility Councillor Wilkinson)

 

Cabinet received a report from the Chief Officer Sustainable Growth to consider the next steps in agreeing and approving the Lancaster City Centre Parking Strategy and Action Plan to give explicit policy support and further certainty to the achievement of the city council’s car parking and wider social, environmental and economic objectives.

 

The options, options analysis, including risk assessment and officer preferred option, were set out in the report as follows:

 

 

Option 1: Do not approve the revised Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy and Action Plan

Option 2: Approve the revised Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy and Action Plan

Advantages

No advantages identified

Provides a clear policy framework for delivering an improved parking portfolio aligned with the council’s broader goals on economic vitality, climate action, and housing.

 

Provides a statement that can be considered within the context of regional decisions on local transport and movement policy / resources.

 

Confirms support for previously agreed city council capital and revenue interventions.

 

Provides an explicit response to the draft strategy consultation feedback and business/community concerns by confirming policy intent as well as active delivery.

Disadvantages

Fails to provide an explicit response to consultation and fails to provide a policy design . shape to feed into regional transport objectives and regeneration goals.

 

 

Council does not further commit to evidence-based policy planning, which may erode trust in decisions. Creates uncertainty limiting strategic planning and reducing the council’s ability to coordinate land use. Difficult to consider release of further Canal Quarter sites for affordable housing as the target strategic parking numbers could not be maintained without the proposed interventions and underpinning policy justification.

 

Risks

 

 

 

 

Following Members’ consideration and confirmation that the proposals meet the council’s objectives and its wider policy aspirations, Option 2 is preferred. The strategy is a policy document which outlines controlled, phased, and pragmatic investment in Lancaster’s future parking infrastructure as a significant element of local transport and regeneration infrastructure planning.

 

Councillor Wilkinson proposed, seconded by Councillor Tyldesley:-

 

“That the recommendations, as set out in the report, be approved.”

 

Councillors then voted:-

 

Resolved unanimously:

 

(1)        That the Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy and Action Plan 2025– 2028 (including its strategic aims, delivery framework, and implementation timeline) be approved.

 

(2)       That a strategy review is progressed through 2027 including performance data, user feedback, and updates to delivery priorities.

 

(3)        That individual project decisions will return to the relevant authority (Cabinet/Portfolio Holder) where further staged approvals or funding decisions are required subject to correct governance and due diligence being in place.

 

Officer responsible for effecting the decision:

 

Chief Officer Sustainable Growth

 

Reasons for making the decision:

 

Concerns from the business community, about the long-term provision of public parking, and general parking are understood. Through the revised Lancaster City Centre Car Parking Strategy and Action Plan, alongside ongoing work with county council, the issue will be addressed at a strategic city-wide level, with appreciation of the statutory strategic policy imperatives the city council is working within.

 

The council recognises that having an appropriate level of car parking in the city is important to support the economy and provide a range and choice of transport options and to ensure accessibility for the less mobile and populations underserved by public transport. An agreed strategic parking portfolio delivered as part of the revised Lancaster City Centre Parking Strategy provides critical context and framing for the council’s ambitions to provide parking provision that is fit for purpose and fit for the future.

 

The decision is consistent with the Council Plan:

 

A Sustainable District – car parking provision and car use is a consideration in meeting the challenges of the council’s declared Climate Emergency and a range of other council objectives.

 

An Inclusive and Prosperous Local Economy – building a sustainable and just local economy that benefits people and organisations needs to consider car parking provision as a key feature of accessibility for certain groups and communities.

 

Healthy and Happy Communities – tackling car parking provision and some of the negative consequences inherent in the current portfolio will contribute to healthy and happy community objectives

 

A Co-Operative, Kind and Responsible Council – further consultation and ongoing discussion with stakeholders will achieve the best outcomes for in tandem with running efficient quality public services, of which car parking provision is a key service provision

 

Supporting documents: