Green Party slams Broomhill car park proposals

Date: 28/11/2012. Story submitted by: Jordan Cullen

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The Green Party has strongly criticised plans for a car park in Broomhill.

Vacant land beside the junction at Harcourt Road and Northumberland Road has been earmarked for development as a large temporary car park, having lain vacant since 2003.

Building works at the site were halted in 2007 after the development company went into liquidation.

Parking Lots Ltd, of Owlthorpe, have said in their application: “The usage of the site [as a car park] supports a much-needed facility in the area as well as preserves the site financially.

"Now the site is just a massive hole with overgrown weeds and is getting full of rubbish as people are fly tipping and dumping on the site.”

However, Broomhill’s division of the Green Party have reacted strongly to the proposals.

Local Green Party spokesman Jon Ashe said: "This big car park would mean even more traffic in the area, which would increase congestion and air pollution.

2It might also mean a greater risk of accidents, given the number of pedestrians and cyclists, many of them children and students. We hope the council will turn it down."

The party has written a letter of protest to Sheffield Council outlining their concerns on the above, also highlighting the increase in air pollution that would result from the car park.

Local residents have reacted strongly to the proposals, both in support and objection.

Andrew Marsh said: “I think this application would remove the liability of the hole. It’s only a matter of time [before] some kids or drunk students may enter the site. I would hate to think of the risks involved with kids playing in there.”

But Gavin Gould said: “There is a huge parking problem in the area. You only have to go on to Whitham Road to see the queues blocking a major road. It can serve the area for parking. There’s a huge kerbside parking problem in the area.”

And Gemma Binney said: “My husband and I use Northumberland Road as a pedestrian route with our two young children to go to nursery, baby groups, the library, shopping etc.

"It is already a difficult junction to cross at times with a high volume of pedestrians and vehicle traffic. A car park on this site would greatly exacerbate this.”

Michael Wall added: “Instead of this council going wholeheartedly down the ‘worshiping cars’ path it usually follows - a religion shown to be ultimately flawed - why don't they improve public transport to this area?

"It will not end until they have put tarmac over any spaces not actually built on. So much for [their] green credentials. Why don’t these developments ever take place in Dore and Totley?”

The council will now consider the plans.

Additional info

Address: Northumberland Road Sheffield S10 2TT

Tags: harcourt road, northumberland road, broomhill green party, sheffield, S10

Web link: http://publicaccess.sheffield.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=dates&keyVal=MCCL0WNY07700