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Chalet owners say no to car park charges

Lara KingCleethorpes
News imageBBC Man with bald head and grey goatee beard wearing a white t shirt and glasses is standing next to a woman who has blonde short hair and is wearing a black T shirt with a black, white and orange picture on the front. They are standing in a car park with a sign behind them which states that the car park is open from 6am til 6pm. There are large trees in the background.BBC
Fitties chalet owners Paul Hodson and Stella Glover-Stone are angry that charges could be brought in at a nearby car park

The owners of seaside chalets are objecting to plans to bring in charges at a nearby car park.

Residents of the Humberston Fitties, near Cleethorpes, are concerned that the change at the St Anthony's Bank car park could lead to motorists parking on their site instead.

Haven Leisure Ltd, which owns the Cleethorpes Beach caravan site next door to the Fitties, wants to introduce the charges and install a height barrier to stop camper vans using the car park overnight.

A spokesperson for Haven said the proposed measures aimed to address "persistent issues involving anti‑social behaviour, unauthorised overnight occupation and misuse of the site".

The problems had "prompted concerns from residents and visitors" and the changes would "help create a safer, more positive experience for everyone", the spokesperson added.

St Anthony's Bank car park is owned by North East Lincolnshire Council and leased to Haven.

The company's proposals include the installation of six bollards, an ANPR parking scheme, two pay machines and a height restriction barrier.

But the plans have angered residents of the Fitties, which was established in the 1920s and is now a conservation area.

News imageA red and white sign with warnings of how to use a beach safely. There are bushes behind the sign and beyond those a group of four people with a small brown dog, as well as cars in the background
The car park next to the Humberston Fitties is used by tourists and locals

Paul Hodson, who has had a chalet for 10 years, said: "It will mean people will park on double yellow lines and on grass verges on the Fitties.

"If I had an emergency or had to go to hospital, it's difficult to make your way through the traffic quickly."

Fellow chalet owner Stella Glover-Stone said: "If they have to pay, they'll just go straight on to ours and we already have problems.

"The impact this is going to cause on the Fitties and the small roads that are already clogged when it's busy is ridiculous."

A spokesperson for the council said: "Anyone can submit a planning application on any piece of land. However, it is a requirement that they provide the correct ownership certificates when applying and comply with the terms of the lease."

Responding to concern about parking on the Fitties, a spokesperson for Tingdene Holiday Parks, which manages the site, said the main road was a public highway and therefore not under its enforcement jurisdiction.

However, where vehicles were seen causing an obstruction, "advisory notices" were issued requesting motorists to park responsibly.

The spokesperson added: "We are currently investigating the potential introduction of an ANPR system, together with a vehicle registration process.

"Any such scheme would likely include financial penalties for those found to be parking in breach of any future controls introduced."

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