More cash allocated to Northumberland car-parking improvements

Councillors have agreed another £385,000 for parking improvements in Northumberland.
The Castlegate car park in Berwick. Picture from GoogleThe Castlegate car park in Berwick. Picture from Google
The Castlegate car park in Berwick. Picture from Google

At last week’s meeting of the county council’s decision-making cabinet, members approved the spending for projects in Berwick, Morpeth and Corbridge.

It follows £289,000 that was signed off in May for Alnwick, Berwick, Hexham and Morpeth.

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In Berwick, £25,000 will be spent on design work followed by a planning application for a permanent extension to the Castlegate car park.

“This money starts the ball rolling,” said the cabinet member responsible for roads, Coun Glen Sanderson, who added that the local authority will ‘engage fully’ with Historic England – due to the adjacent Elizabethan town walls – and Berwick Town Council.

In Morpeth, extra parking is required at the railway station and a feasibility report has recommended the creation of around 30 additional spaces on a grassed area opposite the station.

Therefore, £20,000 has been allocated for the detailed design and the planning application.

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Coun Richard Wearmouth said: “A solution is much needed at Castlegate.

“And it’s high time that something was done at Morpeth station. It’s a shame that Network Rail couldn’t come to the table with something, but I’m glad the council is grasping the nettle.”

The other £340,000 is for the extension to the existing long-stay car park south of the river in Corbridge to provide around 48 extra spaces.

The money will also be used to implement changes to on-street parking in

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Hill Street, Main Street, Watling Street and Station Road, as agreed with the area’s county councillor and the parish council.

The target date for completing all three projects is next spring.

Ben O'Connell, Local Democracy Reporting Service