A PRIVATE bid to restore public parking off Kendal’s New Road has been launched.

David Fone has submitted an application direct to the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Michael Gove to carry out work on the land to enable the former unofficial car park to be reinstated.

The application, which has been made under Section 38 of the Commons Act 2006, was submitted by Mr Fone’s agents the J36 Rural Auction Centre and will be considered by the Planning Inspectorate in Mr Gove’s department after the January 20 deadline for representations has been passed.

The land in question, which lies between New Road and the River Kent, has been the subject of furious debate for some time.

It is designated as common land and has for many years been used as an unofficial free car park popular with both residents and visitors.

However, a storm of protest ensued when the land was cordoned off in early 2018 by South Lakeland District Council, who cited safety concerns, and the area was subsequently landscaped.

SLDC recently announced the launch of a promised public consultation on the issue, with a return to use as a car park one of the options to be debated, but Mr Fone’s application is not directly connected to the SLDC’s move.

An SLDC spokesperson said the council were aware of the application and would be responding accordingly.

“To be clear, this application has not been made by South Lakeland District Council but has been made by a private individual who has no connection to the council,” said the spokesperson.

“The first the council knew about the application was when it was notified, as landowner of New Road Common, of the application by the individual’s solicitors just before Christmas.

“The council will be responding to the Planning Inspectorate by January 20.”

The Westmorland Gazette understands that various bodies who have been involved in the issue in the past are also preparing representations and are likely to oppose Mr Fone’s plans.