REDCAR and Cleveland Council has been told it has got it wrong over plans to expand the Cat Nab car park in Saltburn.

The council is increasing the number of parking spaces from the existing 155 to 189, which will also include bays for disabled drivers, motorcyclists and motorhomes.

Saltburn councillor Philip Thomson said the local authority’s estimation of how many spaces were required for motorhomes was “totally inadequate” and asked that the design be looked at again.

The extension received planning permission in January despite an objection from Saltburn, Marske and New Marske Parish Council, which said it could become a “caravan/camper van park”.

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It is being paid for with money from the Tees Valley Combined Authority-funded ‘Welcome to Redcar and Cleveland’ programme with the cost put at between £415,000 and up to half-a-million pounds.

The car park and toilets recently had to close for emergency repairs by Northumbrian Water after a team working on behalf of the council damaged a waste water pipe, which left sewage spilling into the sea.

Speaking at a meeting of the full council, Cllr Thomson said more spaces were needed for camper vans in particular.

He said: “It grieves me to mention car parks again.

“We are applauding the fact that we have started to develop the Cat Nab car park and are going to put in four motorhome spaces.

“The average weekend uptake during the summer is 30 motorhomes.

“This is really totally inadequate and is another example of a desktop survey that has gone wrong.

“We are not using all of the hinterland to put in more spaces so we are not exploiting the full capacity that we could.

“I ask, will you re-visit the design of the Cat Nab car park?”

South Bank ward Councillor Sue Jeffrey, the council’s former leader, also weighed in on the subject highlighting again the cost of the seafront car park works.

She said: “You may recall I commented at the time about the car parking being half-a-million pounds for 34 spaces, which works out at about £12,500 a space.

“If we are now told that [the expansion] is not adequate and is not going to do the job, then I am really surprised to say the least given the price that we are paying.”

Cllr Thomson said that if the aim was to bring more people to the borough there needed to be a good infrastructure and maintenance capital programme running in parallel.

He said: “We are encouraging more people to come, but the problem is that they don’t stay long.

“The stats tell us that 79% of visitors only come for the day, therefore we don’t have the overnight stayers which brings in more revenue.”

He also said council members had asked two years ago for a redesign of the nearby pier car park and had been given no answer.

Councillor Christopher Gallacher, the council’s cabinet member for economic development, said he would discuss the matters “first thing” with council officers.

A council spokesman said: “After extensive consultations about how to improve parking across Saltburn, a plan was designed to improve Saltburn’s Cat Nab car park.

“[This] involves extending it as far as practically possible to add facilities for motorhomes as well as bays for vehicles like minibuses, but without encroaching upon or being to the detriment to the surrounding natural environment. 

“This was agreed as the best way forward for Cat Nab, however as part of the ongoing transport study for the town being led by consultants Capita, a review of pricing structures to assist overnight stays for motorhomes will be explored.”

The council says there have been requests for many years from the local community, residents and businesses in Saltburn to increase car parking due to overcrowding during peak periods.

The Cat Nab scheme was included in a council car parking strategy published last year which also included plans to create a separate overflow car park at the pumping station opposite Cat Nab, and increase parking capacity on Marine Parade.

A new layout has been promised providing a “much improved experience” for motorists, along with improvements such as new pedestrian walkways and new lighting columns around the perimeter of the site.

A report previously said: “Current demand for parking in the Lower Foreshore area where the Cat Nab car park is located results in significant congestion throughout the town during the peak tourists’ seasons, in particular the summer time. 

“By increasing capacity in the Lower Foreshore area, the proposal would alleviate some of this congestion, which when combined with the wider planned programme of improvements throughout the town, including the reduction of speed limits and directional signage would aid traffic flow and facilitate a better distribution of visitor parking.”

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