Decision details

This report sets out the main terms of a proposed legal agreement with English Heritage (EH) which, if approved and subsequently signed by the Council and EH, would allow the introduction of charging in the two car parks at Portchester Castle.

At the meeting of the Executive on 07 September 2020, the introduction of £1 hourly charging for up to 6 hours, between the hours of 10am and 6pm in the Borough’s nine coastal car parks was approved.

The Council faces significant financial challenges, made worse by COVID-19, and the additional parking income generated will help to ensure that the Council is able to continue to provide a good level of parking enforcement and maintenance as well as invest in parking infrastructure.

Two of the nine coastal car parks that the Council owns are located on the site of Portchester Castle.  A Guardianship Agreement is in place at the castle, which provides English Heritage some powers over the activities within the castle grounds.

Extensive negotiations with English Heritage (EH) have been undertaken regarding the introduction of charging in the two Portchester Castle car parks.  An agreement has now been reached and is presented at confidential Appendix B for approval.

Despite unforeseeable delays in production and delivery of the solar powered pay and display machines, charging started on 01 August in four of the highest use car parks, using temporary payment machines.  It is anticipated that charging will begin in the next few weeks in the remaining car parks, alongside the two at Portchester if the agreement with EH is approved.

Season ticket sales for all coastal car parks commenced on 26 July 2021 with over 160 sales in the first 3 days. 

RESOLVED that the Executive:

(a)  approves the agreement with English Heritage, as detailed in the updated confidential Appendix B to the report, to allow hourly charging and season ticket use in the two Portchester Castle car parks; and

(b)  delegates authority to the Director of Leisure and Community, following consultation with the Executive Member for Health and Public Protection, to agree any minor amendments to the agreement.