Further to the proposal to close the unofficial car park at New Road, what is required in Kendal is a solution which could transform car parking in Kendal for a generation.

Close to New Road are the offices of South Lakeland District Council. Many regions in England have created a unitary authority. Sadly Cumbria has fallen well behind. We still enjoy six district councils plus Cumbria County Council.

This provides a golden opportunity to create a unitary Cumbria authority, enabling the existing SLDC offices to be demolished and a new enhanced car park could emerge.

It would certainly cost more than £43,000 to develop and take two to three years' further delay to enable council staffing issues to be resolved but the cost savings would be immense.

Local government would emerge more efficient and cost effective and the land at New Road alongside the River Kent could be developed into community open space with pathways, seating, landscaping and tree planting to everybody's satisfaction

Mel Mackie

High Casterton