Daventry town centre car park to be extended after planning approval

The district council had itself applied for permission to mainly demolish and alter some existing boundary walls at the Chapel Lane car park to allow 13 new car parking spaces to be created. It will also remove an existing lay-by in St John’s Square to provide nine additional car parking spaces.

Officers had recommended that the scheme be approved, saying: “Although the proposal would lead to the loss of a historic stone and bricked wall positioned along the northwestern area of the car park, the walls are in poor condition and make a limited contribution to the character and appearance of the conservation area.

“It is considered that the harm arising from the loss of the historic boundary walls and existing trees within the Chapel Lane car park would be outweighed by the public benefits arising from the additional 22 parking spaces created – a net gain of 19 spaces following the loss of the three lay-by spaces.”

Although there were privacy concerns raised by nearby neighbours should the wall be demolished and the trees removed, councillors on the authority’s planning committee unanimously approved the scheme when it met on Wednesday (November 18).

Councillor Mark Wesley said: “As with all planning applications, it’s always going to affect someone unfortunately. And it will probably be detrimental to the residents who will lose their tree cover.

“But having said that, as a councillor I have been banging on about car parking spaces forever. Daventry is getting busier and there are often occasions where parking is a real nightmare in the town.”