February 2009
At the Area Forum of 16th Feb 2009, Council Officers announced that the echelon parking idea "is dead", and will not be going ahead.
Wirral Council's Plans (2008)
Wirral Council had shown plans (autumn 2008) to change to echelon parking on West Kirby promenade, which would result in narrowing of the promenade by 1.2 to 1.8 metres (4 to 6 feet). Echelon parking would mean that vehicles park at roughly 45 degrees to the pavement and road.
This would mean narrowing of the promenade by roughly one third, so that the seating would have to be moved forward, and the area for walking would be narrowed by one half.
Plans were on show in the foyer of West Kirby Concourse and a feedback form was available there at times.
The results of the consultation showed strong opposition:
| Support | 24% |
| Object | 73% |
| Don't Know | 3% |
The plans for echelon (herringbone) parking were announced in the 2004 Hoylake and West Kirby Masterplan as part of the Council's response to the loss of parking that would occur if the Dee Lane (beach) car park is sold off for the building of a hotel. Page 100 states:
Planning permission to any change of use at this location needs to be fully considered. The development of a hotel on the existing car park will result in the loss of 173 car parking spaces. Though, at present, demand is low during the winter and higher during the summer, the development of a hotel and sailing school will both generate new demand. A parking feasibility study will need to be undertaken, with possible solutions investigated in more detail. The consideration of a multi-storey car park as part of the Concourse redevelopment should be made as a solution to this scenario, in addition to deck access parking on the current Safeway car park and herringbone parking along the South Parade.
The Council's website and current Consultation Document (September 2009) states:
A number of residents have expressed a desire for increased car parking in the area. There is an opportunity to increase the parking provision on South Parade if a reduction to the width of the current promenade pavement is made.
There is much concern in West Kirby that the link between the plans for echelon parking and the plans for building a hotel are not being explicitly stated.