Grant solves Kennaway parking space problem
Di Bowerman with Stuart Hughes at Kennaway house. Photo by Terry Ife. Ref shs 2288-28-14TI To order your copy of this photograph go to www.sidmouthherald.co.uk and click on myphotos24 - Credit: Archant
Parking problems at a popular Sidmouth venue have been eased thanks to a £500 grant that has paid for an environmentally friendly solution.
‘Grasscrete’ at Kennaway House will nearly double capacity for vehicles to give legitimate users of the Regency mansion in Coburg Road a boost.
The funding has come from county councillor Stuart Hughes’s locality budget.
Kennaway House chairman of trustees, Diana Bowerman, said extending the car park with tarmac was never a viable option due to nearby trees being protected.
The ‘grasscrete’, which will eventually be invisible, will ensure no damage is inflicted on the ground and allow for five extra spaces.
“When we have several classes going on at one time it gets quite crowded,” said Diana.
“We needed to extend the car park and this makes it almost double the size.
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“The extra parking space for our users will be very welcome. We would not have been able to afford it without this generous grant.”
There had previously been seven spaces and two disabled bays the venue, which is a registered charity.
The Herald reported in April how motorists who treat the private property as a public car park – by stopping there and going shopping - have been driving Kennaway bosses round the bend.
“We’re trying to dissuade people from parking here to go shopping – they are taking spaces from legitimate users,” said Diana.
An application to the town council for funding was unsuccessful, but Councillor Hughes decided the cause was one worth backing.
Cllr Hughes said the ‘environmentally friendly’ grasscrete will create extra space that will keep cars from being parked in the road.
“It really made sense to support the work they are doing at Kennaway House,” he added.
