In light of last week’s announcement that Radstock is planning for a combined new Doctor’s Surgery, Children’s Centre and Library, Town Councillors have voted to invite the Leader of B&NES Council, Tim Warren, to attend a site visit to discuss the issues the town faces with parking.

Having lost a car park when the Linden Homes development on the regeneration land took place and with B&NES’ enforced restricted hours parking at Church Street and Waterloo Road, parking has been a contentious issue in the town for some time. Waterloo Road is at capacity, workers in the town are finding it difficult to find anywhere long term to stay, and roads are busy and blocked during school drop-off and pick-up.

Whilst many are wondering this week what will happen to the old Doctor’s Surgery, Children’s Centre and Library buildings should plans go ahead, Town

Councillors are asking what B&NES’ long-term strategy is for parking within the town. Because without parking, shoppers will not be able to visit and regeneration of

any kind is going to prove challenging. Workers are also frustrated that there is nowhere for them to park long-term, and some have even moved on because of it.

Concern is also growing for the final stage of the Linden Homes development, which will see flats facing on to Frome Road. There were reportedly 137 spaces needed to cover both residential needs and the servicing of shops, however, this was

reduced to 37 due to parking elsewhere in the town. This is something that Town and Parish Councils are beginning to see with planning, with residents expected to find parking elsewhere within a retail centre.

But what happens when elsewhere is full?Chairman of Radstock

Action Group and Town Councillor, Colin Currie, says that effectively 200 spaces now need to be found in the town and that the infrastructure needed to support the new development was never properly addressed. Alongside new plans for Waterloo Road, Town Councillors are now calling on the issue to be brought to the forefront, with long-term parking of around eight hours and short-term parking for the shops or school drops addressed.

Of course, the possibility of a future rail link to Frome is still being discussed – indeed, Frome’s link allowing commuters to get to London has proved valuable in terms of economic regeneration. But Radstock Town Councillor, Gary Dando, is also calling for a Park and Ride for commuters of the Somer Valley, moving the cycle track up to the old Somerset and Dorset line and using the land, which is owned by B&NES, to make a larger parking facility and base for those travelling further afield.

Other sites that would be shown to the Leader of B&NES include Rymans works, Charltons and Glebe field, behind St Nicholas Church. Town Councillors may also investigate leasing arrangements that the Post Office has with Radco, to see if vans, currently parking at Church Street, could be moved there.

Speaking about the plans for the new Health Centre at Waterloo Road, Cllr Chris Dando said: “The reality of this plan is that it will safeguard the town’s Children’s Centre and Library, and gain a pharmacy. We can have a conversation about parking, but it’s a significant investment in Radstock that should be welcomed.”

Cllr Bruce Shearn added: “Radstock desperately needs a new Doctor’s Surgery. In any planning, or anything we want in life, you won’t get 100% what you want. We are moving forward, and this is something that the town has been crying out for for years. Let’s look at parking, but we need to applaud the efforts of the doctors and the staff, who have brought these plans this far, and if we can sort out the parking issues elsewhere, it will help the surgery in the long run.”

Councillors reported that there will be 22 new parking spaces created within the new surgery plans.

Asked to comment on planning applications for the town, Councillors objected to plans to convert both the old Wireworld shop in the Market Place and the Old Mortuary, which has been used for financial services offices, into flats. As well as losing retail space within the town, Councillors objected mainly on a lack of designated parking for the proposed new residents.