New free public car park to open in South Shields in bid to tackle congestion

South Tyneside Council lodged an application with its own planning department for land near the One Trinity Green building at Laygate.

This included the construction of an 87-space car park, including five disabled spaces, and associated access and footways.

According to the planning application, the development aims to “alleviate existing parking problems experienced at this location and the surrounding residential streets.”

The free public car park is planned for land adjacent to Rekendyke Lane, in the Simonside and Rekendyke ward, and will include lighting columns within the site footprint.

In addition, a wooden ‘birdsmouth fence’ will be installed around the site perimeter alongside extra tree and shrub planting and a grassed earth bund to provide some ‘natural screening.’

Following consultation, South Tyneside Council’s planning department approved the application on March 5.

As the proposal will result in the loss of open space, the council has also proposed an alternative off-site “ecological compensation scheme.”

This includes managing an area of neutral grassland in the River Don corridor, north of Roman Road, to “increase its value for biodiversity over time.”

A council report reads: “The aim is to uplift its condition from moderate to good, ecologically speaking, through appropriate management to create a more diverse and species rich wildflower grassland.

“The land is under council ownership and available for this purpose.”

The planning application stated: “Historical information shows that this section of land was previously used as a car park between the mid 1960s and early 2000s as part of the now-demolished electronics factory / builder’s yard that previously occupied the site. Since then this scrub land has remained empty.”

Planners pulled together a report and gave neighbours and key organisations the chance to have their say before a decision was made.

One Trinity Green is a modern development offering professional managed workspace for new and growing companies, built as part of the regeneration of the Laygate and Rekendyke area.

The building offers office, workshop and hybrid units to rent in South Shields, with free on-site parking.

For more information on the planning application, visit South Tyneside Council’s ‘planning portal’ and search reference: ST/0295/20/LAA

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