Berkhamsted Residents Unite Against the Monster Multi-Storey Car Park

A campaign has been set up by a group of concerned residents opposed to the development of an 327 space, eight half level multi-storey car park in the heart of Berkhamsted's conservation area (Planning Application - 4/00122/16/MFA)

On 8th February the campaign group served legal papers on Dacorum Borough Council giving them the detailed grounds and a statement of facts prepared by their barrister for why they want to apply for a judicial review. Their consultants White Young Green were also served with the same documents. Last week in the Royal Courts of Justice we had sought leave to apply for a judicial review and yesterday's (8-2-16) visit to the Council's Hemel Hempstead offices completes the first stage of our legal battle.

Dacorum Borough Council now have 21 days to indicate whether they intend to defend the application. If they do, the papers will go to a Judge for him to determine whether permission will be given to apply for judicial review - a permission hearing.

To join the campaign take a look at the Crowdfunder Page , like Facebook or have a look on Twitter

The Background

On 22^nd December 2016, Dacorum Borough Council approved planning permission for a massive multi-storey car park on Lower Kings Road, next to Waitrose, subject to conditions. This was despite opposition from many local residents, businesses, environmentalists and parking experts. Even Waitrose lodged objections to the plans.

We have taken advice from an experienced planning barrister at Landmark Chambers. He believes that there are grounds for a judicial review of Dacorum's decision as they failed to take into account two material considerations when reaching their decision:

• The planning officer failed to demonstrate that there is a clear demand for more parking at the moment - the Urban Transport Plan requires "a full parking analysis" to ensure that there is demand for more spaces
• The planning officer failed to assess the extent to which a multi-storey car park development is supported by the Site Allocations Development Plan Document which required a full analysis of the National Planning Policy Framework paragraph 216.

We are now building a campaign to seek a judicial review of this decision and we need your support!

If we are successful in obtaining a judicial review, we have a chance to apply community pressure on our elected representatives at the Council to ask them to consider better, cheaper and more sustainable alternatives whilst they undertake a full parking analysis to properly establish demand. This would be before they spend at least £3m of tax payers' money on this car park. In our view, this monster multi-storey car park will create even greater gridlock and will be a permanent eye-sore for generations to come.

So far all the legal advice we have obtained has been paid for by a small group of concerned residents - we have already raised approximately £4,500 to obtain the barrister's preliminary advice and to instruct him to draft an application for leave to seek a judicial review. This had to be done extremely quickly and as a result, there was no time to set up this fundraising page.

The next step will be to prepare the paperwork necessary for a hearing following which we will be advised whether permission has been given to us to seek a judicial review. We have set an initial target of £5,000 - this will help us prepare for the next stage in the legal fight. If we get to a full judicial review, we will need even more financial support, hence why we have set a stretch target.

No funds will be taken from your card unless we hit our initial target. So you can donate knowing your money will only be used if we get the amount we need.

There is still a chance to stop the plans to build a 327 space, 8 half level multi-storey car park in the heart of Berkhamsted's conservation area. Please help by donating what you can now.

Why we must stop this monster multi-storey car park

• There is no evidence that there is sufficient demand for a massive multi-storey car park
• Lower Kings Road is already badly congested and an 8 half-level multi-storey car park will make it worse - the entrance/exit will be on the only north/south direct route across the town
• A massive multi-storey car park in this conservation area, canal-side location will be an eye-sore
• More cars driving down Lower Kings Road will increase pollution and reduce air quality which has levels of NO₂ (nitrogen dioxide) already at or above recommended safe levels
• Dacorum Borough Council have largely ignored the views and ideas of residents in pushing through their plan and may not have placed all material considerations before those making the decision to grant planning permission
• The Council should not waste any more public money on this flawed solution to parking in the town centre and should stop their plans now