THE charity running Winterbourne Medieval Barn has been granted permission to hold ‘park and stride’ events, where visitors leave their cars off-site and walk to the venue down an unlit road.
South Gloucestershire councillors voted unanimously to change previous planning conditions over the barn’s parking arrangements, after the trust that runs the historic building in Church Lane said it had become impractical to continue allowing dozens of vehicles to park on grass for large parts of the year, because of the mud and health hazards it caused.
The council’s development management committee agreed to approve the application to vary the current planning conditions when the barn, built in 1342, hosts events.
Winterbourne Academy has agreed to let the venue use its car park out of hours to help with problems of overspill of vehicles parking on Church Lane, today’s meeting was told.
Councillors heard that transport officers had no objections on safety grounds – but resident Paul Appleby told the committee the proposal was “dangerous”, and reversed a previous good decision.
He said Church Lane was a commuter rat-run where drivers regularly exceeded the 30mph limit.
Mr Appleby said: “We find it alarming that the trust wishes to increase foot traffic to its events by reducing its on-site parking from 55 spaces to only 28.
“Events inside the barn may require 150 people to walk down Church Lane on weekday evenings.”
Blind spots
He said Church Lane had three blind spots and pedestrians were forced to walk in the road.
Mr Appleby said that plans to put up signs warning drivers of people walking in the lane would not stop accidents.
He added: “Frankly this shows a worrying ignorance of the traffic flow by the trust.”
Winterbourne Medieval Barn Trust chair Sue Parsons said: “This application is purely to support trust, community and heritage events.
“If this is approved, we are only likely to use the facility in bad weather, when ground conditions make parking on grass impractical.
“It’s preferable to provide parking for all visitors on site where at all possible, however, in periods of inclement weather, the grass areas become unusable and cause safety issues.
“We really are not happy with people having to cross wet grass in poor light when they come to a community event.
“This variation is essential to allow us to organise events throughout the year, which are vital to our commitment to heritage events and generate funds to cover on-site operation.
“They allow the trust to continue working with South Gloucestershire Council to operate and maintain this unique and nationally important building.”
‘Least worst solution’
Council cabinet member for planning and transport Chris Willmore (Lib Dem, Yate North), who called in the application to the committee, said the existing parking conditions did not work and that the proposals represented the ‘least worst solution’.
Committee member Cllr June Bamford (Con, Hanham) said: “We certainly need to preserve our heritage, and Winterbourne Barn does a wonderful job preserving the barn and using it for community use.
“But I’m very unhappy with taking these car parking numbers down from 55 to 28.
“We’ve got communication from Winterbourne Academy saying they’re happy for it to be used for parking but that could end at any time – there could be different circumstances and it could change.
“Frankly I wouldn’t walk along that road with a torch at night, and it’s quite a stretch to Winterbourne Academy.
“If you reduce parking, people are going to take their chances and park along Church Lane.
“But our highways officer says there are no concerns over pedestrian safety so it would be difficult to refuse it.”
‘No option but to approve’
Committee chair Tristan Clark (Lib Dem, Frampton Cotterell) said: “As part of the management plan for events under 200 people, attendees will be advised to bring a torch.
“In the summer it’s fine, when the light is better for longer.
“I have concerns in the winter, when events operate later into the evening when it will be dark.
“A torch is great if traffic is coming towards you but I have concerns that, if someone is coming behind you when it’s wet and dark, a torch isn’t of great use.”
John Bradbury (Lab, Bradley Stoke South) said: “If we don’t grant this application then the future commercial viability of the barn could be called into question and the work to preserve and enhance this heritage asset could be put in danger, so we have no option but to approve this application.”
By Adam Postans, Local Democracy Reporting Service