Car park approved to serve museum and village

A new car park has been approved which is hoped will cater for more visitors to a village and museum.

It will be built behind the Ruskin Museum in Coniston, Cumbria, to cater for those traveling to see Donald Campbell's Bluebird K7 hydroplane.

Bluebird broke seven world water speed records between 1955 and 1967 and has recently gone on display in a new exhibition following a long battle over its ownership.

Businessman Phil Johnston, who submitted the application, said the site would deal with a "huge increase" in the number of people trying to park in the village.

The site off Yewdale Road will have 70 spaces for cars, including five accessible spaces and six electric vehicle charging stations. There will also be six coach bays.

Two previous applications to build car parks on the land were rejected due to the impact they would have on the landscape, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Mr Johnston, who owns The Coppermines Lakes Cottages, said the car park would "have a significant positive impact for local residents, businesses and visitors".

A single tariff for parking all day would be in force at the site to encourage people to stay longer in the hope they will use the village.

In the planning application, Ruskin Museum director Tracy Hodgson asked the Lake District National Park Authority to approve the plans.

"Since Covid, all visitor attractions have been trying to get people back in and we now have an attraction that is doing just that, but without parking we fear people will stop visiting us, and we need the support from the National Park to help us sustain our visitors," she said.

The site faced objections from the Friends of the Lake District, which claimed the proposal was "inappropriate and unsustainable".

The car park plans were unanimously approved by the Lake District National Park Authority.

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