Plan aims to ease parking problems (From Swindon Advertiser)

Plan aims to ease parking problems

12:30pm Friday 6th March 2009 in Search By James Wallin

PENHILL residents are to be offered the chance to buy a plot of land to provide much-needed parking spaces in the area.

Home owners in Marston Avenue will be given the opportunity to purchase a piece of the grass verge to be converted into their own allocated parking space.

Residents and councillors have been calling for years for a solution to the problem of having nowhere to park their cars.

Coun David Glaholm (Ind, Penhill) said he was pleased that the campaigning had finally reaped reward but said he was amazed at how long the process had taken.

He said: “A petition was put in by local residents in April 2006, so it has taken a long time to get this sorted.

“It has taken more than three years to do this, since Coun Peter Greenhalgh (Swindon Council’s lead member for sustainability, transport and strategic planning) came down here and said it was a no-brainer that it had to be done. How long it has taken is just ridiculous. It makes me mad how long things take to get done.

“It is a great achievement for Penhill and for councillor Paul Baker and myself. It is a testament to our persistence in getting this pushed through.”

Coun Glaholm explained that the proposals could be very beneficial to Penhill residents, and expected a number to take up the offer.

He said: “I would imagine 10 or 12 residents in Marston Avenue would be very interested in it. It obviously depends on the cost once that it is worked out but it would increase the value of their properties. I have been told that it would increase the value of their properties by three to four thousand pounds.

“The estimated cost is £50 per square metre for the land. The legal fees will be about £300 per person.

“For quite a reasonable sum of money the parking issues of this area could be overcome quite quickly.”

For more information contact Coun Glaholm on 01793 701870 or d.glaholm@virgin.net, or Coun Paul Baker on 01793 334598 or pauljbaker@ntlworld.com.