Issue - meetings

This report advises Members of the current issues at Blue Bell Hill Commuter Car Park and seeks Members’ instructions as to future arrangements.

(Joint report of Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services, Cabinet Member for Technical and Waste Services and Cabinet Member for Community Services)

The report provided details of the current issues at Blue Bell Hill commuter car park including significant concerns in respect of continuing anti-social behaviour on the site.  The noise and general nuisance related to vehicles was a major concern to local residents who continued to report issues.

Careful consideration was given to the financial and value for money implications and the ongoing anti-social behaviour.   On the grounds that the current operating model for the car park was not an efficient use of resources and was considered to be unsustainable, that there was no indication that commuter bus services would return to pre-pandemic levels and that the sites location between the M2 and M20 corridor had potential for other uses Councillor # proposed that the car park should be closed and future opportunities for the site be explored.  This was seconded by Councillor #

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the Blue Bell Hill commuter car park be closed and the site secured to prevent any pedestrian and vehicular access; and

(2)             future opportunities for alternative use of the site be explored with Kent County Council

Decision Notice D230033CAB

The joint report of the Director of Street Scene, Leisure and Technical Services, Cabinet Member for Technical and Waste Services and Cabinet Member for Community Services provided details of the current issues at Blue Bell Hill commuter car park and sought Member’s instructions as to future arrangements.

The site was acquired in December 2003 from Kent County Council and included two covenants aimed at restricting the use of the site, the first stating that Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council was not to use the land for any purpose other than as a ‘public commuter car park. Prior to the pandemic, the site was successfully operated as a commuter car park serving a number of private bus services that operated to London, but since the pandemic, the income from the car park had naturally declined, therefore the current operating model for the car park was not an efficient use of resources and was considered to be unsustainable.

Furthermore, there were significant concerns in respect of anti-social behaviour on the site and the noise and general nuisance which related to vehicles was a major concern to local residents who continued to report issues.

After careful consideration of the financial and value for money implications and the ongoing anti-social behaviour, Cabinet

RESOLVED:  That

(1)             the Blue Bell Hill commuter car park be closed and the site secured to prevent any pedestrian and vehicular access; and

(2)             future opportunities for alternative use of the site be explored with Kent County Council.