Plans to use Summerland site as temporary car park

The site of the former Summerland leisure complex could once again become a temporary car park.

The Department of Infrastructure has applied to use part of the land, at the northern end of Douglas Promenade, for 32 parking spaces over a period of 18 months.

It wouldn't be the first time for temporary parking to be allowed on the Summerland site; permission has previously been granted in 2019, during the promenade regeneration project, for 51 spaces.

In its application, the Department says the area currently 'doesn't offer sufficient parking to serve businesses in the area' and it is regularly approached by people wishing to park their vehicles there.

Of the 32 spaces, two would offer disabled parking, and vehicles would be restricted to twelve hours a day.

While it continues to receive expressions of interest from parties who may wish to develop the site, the Department says it is regularly approached by people wishing to park their vehicles there.

The application says: 'The Department continues to receive expressions of interest from parties who may wish to develop the site; marketing continues with the aim of seeing development of part or all of this site within an indeterminate timeframe. In the interim, the Department is approached regularly by individuals and organisations seeking permission to park vehicles on the southern part of the site. 

'The great majority of the enquiries are received from owners of businesses in fairly close proximity to the site whose customers frequently voice concerns about the lack of car parking in the immediate area; this includes MER travellers, Horse Tram users and customers visiting the retailing outlets as far away as Harris Promenade. 

'It is clear from our observations that the northern end of Douglas Promenade does not offer sufficient car parking on the adopted highways to serve the businesses in this area, particularly during the periods when trams are running regularly. The emergence of a number of new businesses in fairly close proximity to the site has brought further demand for parking, and the Department believes that it would be helpful to provide a degree of additional parking for the use of visitors to the area, albeit temporary in nature. 

'This is an application for a relatively short period of eighteen months only and can help locally based food and retail outlets and the MER/Horse Trams customer base to grow without any long term implications for the site. In terms of management of the site, no vehicles would be permitted to remain on site for longer than twelve hours in any day and the site would be inspected daily to ensure compliance, with no overnight parking permitted.'