Beehive Community Centre car park set to become pay and display

The car park, on Dowell Street, is currently free for users, but back in January 2019, East Devon District Council's cabinet agreed to introduce pay-and-display parking.

However, when the proposals were advertised, a substantial number of representation were received, a report of Andrew Ennis, Service Lead, Environmental Health and Car Parks states.

A total of 39 objections were raised, covering 37 different points, ranging from objecting to the principle of pay-and-display charges, discouraging people from using the Beehive, an increased cost on taxpayers, and the significant detrimental effect on the viability of small businesses operating from the Beehive.

The car park is owned by Honiton Town Council and they had initially asked East Devon District Council to manage the introduction of pay-and-display charges.

In his report to next Wednesday's cabinet meeting, Mr Ennis says: "All the legitimate concerns have been considered by the town council and having considered all representations in detail on September 9, the town council formally resolved that it does want the District Council to go ahead and introduce the pay and display regime as agreed.

"There is demand for additional public car parking in the town and at present the use of the car park is unrestricted.

"The town council has considered the issues raised in the representations and has requested that East Devon proceed with putting in place measures to enable us to manage the car park as a public pay-and-display car park."

Parking charges are set to mirror the adjacent Lace Walk short stay car park, with charges of 50p for 30 minutes, £1 per hour, with a maximum charge of £10.

Charges will apply only between 8am and 6pm, Monday to Saturday, with the car park being free of charge overnight, on Sundays, and on Bank Holidays.

East Devon District Council will provide and install the tariff boards and the pay-and-display machine.

Disabled blue badge holders would not be exempt from charges, unless they are parked in a designated disabled bay for no longer than three hours.

Current East Devon District Council parking permits would not be valid in the car park, but a regular visitor parking permit will be introduced.

Honiton town council will be able request parking charge dispensations or concessions or the reservation of parking bays for specific purposes at their discretion, and three spaces will be reserved solely for the use of town council staff.

Any vehicle that does not display a valid permit or ticket will be liable to be served with a penalty charge.

If agreed by the Cabinet on January 8, the car park would be included in the Council's Off-street Parking Places Order, once the facility was leased to the district by the town council and only for the duration of the arrangement.

In 2019, councillors agreed that in the new lease arrangement, the costs to EDDC in repairing and insuring the car park will be offset against any gross profits derived from EDDC managing the car park, with the remaining shared between the two Councils on a 50:50 basis.