Use of overflow car park extended at National Trust beauty spot

The National Trust is to be allowed to use an overflow parking area at a North Devon beauty spot more frequently.

The charity had asked North Devon Council for permission to use the area on its land at Baggy Point, Croyde for 120 days a year, but reduced it to 80 days after North Devon National Landscape (NL formerly the AONB) objected.

It currently opens it 28 days a year under a ‘permitted development allowance’ as well as having a 90-space main car park.

NL said 110 extra vehicles parking at any point in the year, not just high season, would potentially have a visual impact and damage the grass, leaving ‘a scar on the landscape” during the autumn and winter.

Georgeham Parish Council also opposed the plan, claiming more vehicles and use of the trust’s parking areas would have an unacceptable impact on local roads.

The parish council requested better signage and a traffic flow improvement plan, as there are currently tailbacks and queuing despite three other car parks nearby.

Local residents who were not in favour of allowing more use of the overflow area criticised the trust for breaching its 28-day allowance.

They said opening it from March to September had “become the norm” and the gates had not been locked at night, allowing motorists to park at their discretion.

NL proposed a 56-day permission, but the trust said this was insufficient to meet demand for parking in the area and would result “in traffic issues on the highways and potentally unsafe or otherwise less-appropriate parking.”

The trust pointed out that traffic concerns and the need for a ‘safety value’ for the village were raised by residents and parish council members at a site visit in January, where they asked for it not to close at busy times, and so creating traffic issues as seen at Saunton and Woolacombe.

The charity was happy to accept a planning condition stating no use of the overflow area during November to February, so grass could grow, and visual impact would not be an issue.

The applicants admitted they had used the car park more than its permitted allowance. Since 2021 it has been used more than 130 days a year.

North Devon Council’s planning officers granted permission under delegated powers for the area to be used 80 days a year.