Plans to resurface a section of a Lake District car park have been approved.
Tarmacadam will be laid on 500 sq metres of White Moss Car Park, off the A591 between Rydal and Grasmere.
The application from the Lowther Estate Trust was scrutinised by a meeting of the Lake District National Park Authority’s development control committee.
A pre-meeting report from LDNPA planner Kelsey Blain had said the existing, crushed stone surface of the car park was often severely potholed and in need of regular repair.
Lake Parish Council had raised an objection to the scheme. The parish council said the applicant had not demonstrated the proposal was reasonably necessary and the surface would not be sympathetic to the local character and landscape.
Committee member Jim Jackson told the meeting: “You’re used to seeing Tarmac so it’s not as intrusive on the eye.
“I do remain worried that, we start painting yellow lines on it or white lines on it and things, then it becomes more obtrusive and more visible, it draws your eye to it so, potentially, I’m happy with the proposal but I wonder whether it would be possible to have a condition that said it had to be bare Tarmac?”
Vicky Hughes said: “It [painting lines] would make a significant difference to the outlook of that car park. It looks like a semi-woodland car park and tarmac and then lines would make it more urban.”
Members approved the plan unanimously but the condition was added that no lines or markings be painted on the Tarmac.
